Striato-cortical tracts predict 12-h abstinence-induced lapse in smokers

Neuropsychopharmacology. 2018 Nov;43(12):2452-2458. doi: 10.1038/s41386-018-0182-x. Epub 2018 Aug 15.

Abstract

Striatal circuit dysfunction is implicated in smoking behaviors and lapses during abstinence attempts. However, little is known about whether the structural connectivity of striatal tracts can be used to predict abstinence-induced craving and lapses. The tract strengths of striatal circuits were compared in 53 male nicotine-dependent cigarette smokers and 58 matched nonsmokers, using seed-based classification by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) probabilistic tractography with 10 a priori target masks. A 12-h abstinence procedure was then employed, after which 31 individuals abstained and 22 lapsed. Linear regression and binary logistic regression was conducted to test whether the tract strength of frontostriatal circuits was associated with craving changes in abstainers and predicted lapse in smokers. Compared with nonsmokers, in the left hemisphere, smokers showed weaker tract strength in striatum-medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC), striatum-ventral lateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), striatum-inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and striatum-posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) (Bonferroni corrected, p < 0.05/20 = 0.0025). In abstainers, the abstinence-induced increases in craving were associated with the tract strength of the left striatum-mOFC and striatum-vlPFC. The tract strength of left striatum-dorsolateral PFC (dlPFC) predicted lapse in smokers with an accuracy of 68.3%. These results provide system-level insights into the weaker tract strength of frontostriatal circuits in male smokers and their potential roles as neuroimaging markers for abstinence-induced craving and risk of lapse. Future studies in female smokers are needed to determine if this generalizes across genders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cerebral Cortex / diagnostic imaging*
  • Cigarette Smoking / psychology
  • Cigarette Smoking / trends*
  • Corpus Striatum / diagnostic imaging*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / trends
  • Male
  • Neural Pathways / diagnostic imaging
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Smokers*
  • Smoking Cessation* / psychology
  • Time Factors
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / diagnostic imaging*
  • Tobacco Use Disorder / psychology
  • Young Adult