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A Collaborative Effort Sheds Light on the Neural Effects of Prolonged Cocaine Use
Researchers from the Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychology and Neuroscience at the UNC School of Medicine have unveiled the detrimental impact of chronic cocaine use on the brain’s functional networks. Their groundbreaking study, titled “Network Connectivity Changes Following Long-Term Cocaine Use and Abstinence,” has been featured in “This Week in The Journal” by the editor of the Journal of Neuroscience.
The study illuminates how continued cocaine use disrupts communication among crucial neural networks in the brain, including the default mode network (DMN), the salience network (SN), and the lateral cortical network (LCN).
Lead author Li-Ming Hsu, PhD, assistant professor of radiology, explains, “The disrupted communication between the DMN and SN can make it harder to focus, control impulses, or feel motivated without the drug. Essentially, these changes can impact how well they respond to everyday situations, making recovery and resisting cravings more challenging.”
Hsu spearheaded the project during his postdoctoral tenure, aiming to uncover the underlying brain processes fueling cocaine addiction and identify potential therapeutic avenues.
The brain functions akin to an orchestra, with distinct networks playing specialized roles crucial for various tasks. The DMN engages during daydreams and reflections, the SN ensures attentiveness, and the LCN, akin to a conductor, facilitates decision-making and problem-solving.
To understand the link between chronic cocaine use and alterations in brain connectivity, researchers utilized a longitudinal animal model, allowing rats to self-dose via nose poke. Paired with advanced neuroimaging techniques, this approach provided invaluable insights into the brain’s adaptation to prolonged drug use and the changes during abstinence.
Using functional MRI scans, the team observed significant alterations in brain network dynamics, particularly between the DMN and SN, following prolonged cocaine self-administration and subsequent abstinence. These changes were more pronounced with increased cocaine intake, indicating a potential target for mitigating cravings and aiding recovery.
Moreover, the study shed light on the anterior insular cortex (AI) and retrosplenial cortex (RSC), responsible for emotional processing and episodic memory, respectively. Differences in coactivity between these regions before and after cocaine intake suggest a potential target for modulating behavioral changes associated with cocaine use disorders.
Dr. Hsu underscores the significance of their findings: “The detailed longitudinal analysis of specific brain network changes, especially between the anterior insular cortex (AI) and retrosplenial cortex (RSC), provides new insights into the impact of cocaine exposure.”
As the prevalence of cocaine use continues to rise, the study’s findings hold promise for informing therapeutic interventions and developing imaging biomarkers to aid in the management of cocaine addiction.
