@article{ref1,
title="Amygdala-orbitofrontal functional connectivity mediates the relationship between sensation seeking and alcohol use among binge-drinking adults",
journal="Drug and alcohol dependence",
year="2018",
author="Crane, Natania A. and Gorka, Stephanie M. and Phan, K. Luan and Childs, Emma",
volume="192",
number="",
pages="208-214",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Decreased amygdala-orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) neural functional connectivity (FC) positively predicts alcohol use among adolescents. Low amygdala-OFC FC is also associated with poor emotion regulation, a trait robustly linked to alcohol use. Thus, decreased amygdala-OFC connectivity may represent a risk factor for the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD) via impaired emotion regulation or reward processing. In this study, we examined amygdala-OFC FC among young adult binge drinkers at high risk for AUD. We also tested if amygdala-OFC FC mediates the relationship between externalizing personality traits and alcohol use. <br><br>METHODS: Healthy male and female (n = 39) binge drinkers completed a resting state fMRI scan and the Eysenck Impulsive Personality questionnaire. We utilized seed-based connectivity of the left and right amygdala to prefrontal regions as well as mediation analysis. <br><br>RESULTS: Individuals with higher weekly alcohol use displayed decreased right amygdala-OFC FC. Furthermore, high trait venturesomeness, but not impulsivness, was associated with decreased right amygdala-OFC FC. Finally, right amygdala-OFC FC mediated the relationship between trait venturesomeness and weekly drinking; individuals with high trait venturesomeness displayed decreased right amygdala-OFC FC, which in turn predicted greater weekly drinking. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our findings corroborate and extend the adolescent literature by showing that decreased amygdala-OFC FC is associated with higher alcohol consumption among adults at elevated risk for AUD. This study also demonstrates for the first time that this neural profile reflects a tendency to sensation seeking. In sum, our findings suggest that amygdala-OFC FC may be an objective neural target for alcohol use prevention and intervention.<br><br>Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0376-8716",
doi="10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.07.044",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.07.044"
}