Error processing in current and former cocaine users

Abstract

Deficits in response inhibition and error processing can result in maladaptive behavior, including failure to use past mistakes to inform present decisions. A specific deficit in inhibiting a prepotent response represents one aspect of impulsivity and is a prominent feature of addictive behaviors in general, including cocaine abuse/dependence. Brain regions implicated in cognitive control exhibit reduced activation in cocaine abusers. The purposes of the present investigation were (1) to identify neural differences associated with error processing in current and former cocaine-dependent individuals compared to healthy controls and (2) to determine whether former, long-term abstinent cocaine users showed similar differences compared with current users. The present study used an fMRI Go/No-Go task to investigate differences in BOLD response to correct rejections and false alarms between current cocaine users (n=30), former cocaine users (n=29), and healthy controls (n=35). Impulsivity trait measures were also assessed and compared with BOLD activity. Nineteen regions of interest previously implicated in errors of disinhibition were queried. There were no group differences in the correct rejections condition, but both current and former users exhibited increased BOLD response relative to controls for false alarms. In current users, the pregenual cingulate gyrus and left angular/supramarginal gyri overactivated. In former users, the right middle frontal/precentral gyri, right inferior parietal lobule, and left angular/supramarginal gyri overactivated. Overall, our results support a hypothesis that neural activity in former users differs more from healthy controls than that of current users due to cognitive compensation that facilitates abstinence.

A Preliminary Prospective Study of an Escalation in ‘Maximum Daily Drinks’, Fronto-Parietal Circuitry and Impulsivity-Related Domains in Young Adult Drinkers

“…Impulsivityrelated domain scores were derived from a PCA performed on a larger sample of BARCS participants (N = 440). Consistent with research indicating dimensional constructs of impulsivity associated with substance-related and addictive disorders (Castelluccio et al, 2014;Ginley et al, 2014;Hyatt et al, 2012;Meda et al, 2009;Patel et al, 2013)), six impulsivity-related domains were identified within the 18 subscale and total scores. A full report of the PCA analysis is currently under review (Khadka et al, under review); however, additional details of the PCA analysis are provided in Supplementary Material.…”

“…The reward/punishment-sensitive aspects of the impulsivity/compulsivity domain, as compared with similarly constructed but separately identified behavioral activation/inhibition domain, suggests an integration of motivational features related to specific rewards and consequences (Torrubia et al, 2001). The elevated impulsivity/ compulsivity in escalating drinkers is consistent with research linking this domain with increased frequencies of binge-drinking-related consequences in young adults (Dager et al, 2014), and research implicating this domain in other addictive disorders (Castelluccio et al, 2014;Ginley et al, 2014;Hyatt et al, 2012;Meda et al, 2009;Patel et al, 2013). Greater impulsivity/compulsivity in young adults may reflect a specific vulnerability for escalating-drinking behavior or addictive disorders more broadly, and additional longitudinal studies are needed to further explore the progression of impulsive and compulsive features in AUDs and addictions.…”

“…With respect to addictive disorders, impulsivity is increasingly discussed alongside compulsivity, another multidimensional construct of behavioral dyscontrol, but associated with repetitive, habitual, and often stereotyped behaviors (Fineberg et al, 2014). Dimensional analyses have identified an impulsivity-related domain integrating motivational aspect of impulsivity with compulsivity features-termed the 'impulsivity/compulsivity' domain-that is elevated in individuals with, or at risk for developing, addictive disorders (Castelluccio et al, 2014;Ginley et al, 2014;Hyatt et al, 2012;Meda et al, 2009;Patel et al, 2013). Impulsivity/compulsivity features are elevated in young adults with a family history of alcoholism and are linked with abnormal neural processing in reward circuitry (Andrews et al, 2011;Yarosh et al, 2014).…”

Assessment of inhibitory control in crack and/or cocaine users: a systematic review

“…43 The With regard to cognitive rehabilitation, five studies reported evidence of recovery of inhibitory control functions after cessation of cocaine and/or crack use. [47][48][49]50,54 With abstinence durations varying from 2 weeks to 2 years, samples of abstinent users exhibited preserved performance in inhibition tasks, but high levels of impulsiveness were described in the samples of three of these studies. [47][48][49] It should be pointed out that impulsiveness was investigated using scales and questionnaires involving questions on participants' everyday lives, in other words, using more ecological measures than those used to assess inhibitory control.…”

Neurometaplasticity: Glucoallostasis control of plasticity of the neural networks of error commission, detection, and correction modulates neuroplasticity to influence task precision

“…We have discussed the mechanisms of glucoallostasis regulation of error commission, detection and correction [3,4]. This regulatory impact of glucoallostasis on this neural circuitry also modulates neuroplasticity of brain regions involved in error commission, detection and correction such as the left posterior parietal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and mesolimbic dopaminergic system [3,4,[47][48][49]. Error commission, error detection and error correction functions of these brain regions are measured physiologically by feedback-related negativity (FN) and error-related negativity (ERN) [48,50,51].…”