Larger gray matter volume in the basal ganglia of heavy cannabis users detected by voxel-based morphometry and subcortical volumetric analysis

Background: Structural imaging studies of cannabis users have found evidence of both cortical and subcortical volume reductions, especially in cannabinoid receptor-rich regions such as the hippocampus and amygdala. However, the findings have not been consistent. In the present study, we examined a s...

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Autores: Moreno Alcázar, Ana, Gonzalvo, Begoña, Canales-Rodrıguez, Erick J., Blanco Hinojo, Laura, 1981-, Bachiller, Diana, Romaguera, Anna, Monté-Rubio, Gemma C., Roncero, Carlos, McKenna, Peter J., Pomarol-Clotet, Edith
Tipo de documento: artigo
Estado:Versão publicada
Data de publicação:2018
País:España
Recursos:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositório:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:10230/37161
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10230/37161
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00175
Access Level:Acceso aberto
Palavra-chave:Cannabis -- Efectes fisiològics
MRI
Basal ganglia
Cannabis
Long-term users
Voxel-based morphometry
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spelling Larger gray matter volume in the basal ganglia of heavy cannabis users detected by voxel-based morphometry and subcortical volumetric analysisMoreno Alcázar, AnaGonzalvo, BegoñaCanales-Rodrıguez, Erick J.Blanco Hinojo, Laura, 1981-Bachiller, DianaRomaguera, AnnaMonté-Rubio, Gemma C.Roncero, CarlosMcKenna, Peter J.Pomarol-Clotet, EdithCannabis -- Efectes fisiològicsMRIBasal gangliaCannabisLong-term usersVoxel-based morphometryBackground: Structural imaging studies of cannabis users have found evidence of both cortical and subcortical volume reductions, especially in cannabinoid receptor-rich regions such as the hippocampus and amygdala. However, the findings have not been consistent. In the present study, we examined a sample of adult heavy cannabis users without other substance abuse to determine whether long-term use is associated with brain structural changes, especially in the subcortical regions. Method: We compared the gray matter volume of 14 long-term, heavy cannabis users with non-using controls. To provide robust findings, we conducted two separate studies using two different MRI techniques. Each study used the same sample of cannabis users and a different control group, respectively. Both control groups were independent of each other. First, whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to compare the cannabis users against 28 matched controls (HC1 group). Second, a volumetric analysis of subcortical regions was performed to assess differences between the cannabis users and a sample of 100 matched controls (HC2 group) obtained from a local database of healthy volunteers. Results: The VBM study revealed that, compared to the control group HC1, the cannabis users did not show cortical differences nor smaller volume in any subcortical structure but showed a cluster (p < 0.001) of larger GM volume in the basal ganglia, involving the caudate, putamen, pallidum, and nucleus accumbens, bilaterally. The subcortical volumetric analysis revealed that, compared to the control group HC2, the cannabis users showed significantly larger volumes in the putamen (p = 0.001) and pallidum (p = 0.0015). Subtle trends, only significant at the uncorrected level, were also found in the caudate (p = 0.05) and nucleus accumbens (p = 0.047). Conclusions: This study does not support previous findings of hippocampal and/or amygdala structural changes in long-term, heavy cannabis users. It does, however, provide evidence of basal ganglia volume increases.Frontiers201920192018info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10230/37161http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00175reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunyainstname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)InglésFrontiers in Psychiatry. 2018 May 3;9:175Copyright © 2018 Moreno-Alcázar, Gonzalvo, Canales-Rodríguez,Blanco, Bachiller,Romaguera, Monté-Rubio, Roncero, McKenna and Pomarol-Clotet. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons AttributionLicense (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted,provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner are credited and that theoriginal publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academicpractice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not complywith these terms.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:recercat.cat:10230/371612026-05-29T05:05:01Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Larger gray matter volume in the basal ganglia of heavy cannabis users detected by voxel-based morphometry and subcortical volumetric analysis
title Larger gray matter volume in the basal ganglia of heavy cannabis users detected by voxel-based morphometry and subcortical volumetric analysis
spellingShingle Larger gray matter volume in the basal ganglia of heavy cannabis users detected by voxel-based morphometry and subcortical volumetric analysis
Moreno Alcázar, Ana
Cannabis -- Efectes fisiològics
MRI
Basal ganglia
Cannabis
Long-term users
Voxel-based morphometry
title_short Larger gray matter volume in the basal ganglia of heavy cannabis users detected by voxel-based morphometry and subcortical volumetric analysis
title_full Larger gray matter volume in the basal ganglia of heavy cannabis users detected by voxel-based morphometry and subcortical volumetric analysis
title_fullStr Larger gray matter volume in the basal ganglia of heavy cannabis users detected by voxel-based morphometry and subcortical volumetric analysis
title_full_unstemmed Larger gray matter volume in the basal ganglia of heavy cannabis users detected by voxel-based morphometry and subcortical volumetric analysis
title_sort Larger gray matter volume in the basal ganglia of heavy cannabis users detected by voxel-based morphometry and subcortical volumetric analysis
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Moreno Alcázar, Ana
Gonzalvo, Begoña
Canales-Rodrıguez, Erick J.
Blanco Hinojo, Laura, 1981-
Bachiller, Diana
Romaguera, Anna
Monté-Rubio, Gemma C.
Roncero, Carlos
McKenna, Peter J.
Pomarol-Clotet, Edith
author Moreno Alcázar, Ana
author_facet Moreno Alcázar, Ana
Gonzalvo, Begoña
Canales-Rodrıguez, Erick J.
Blanco Hinojo, Laura, 1981-
Bachiller, Diana
Romaguera, Anna
Monté-Rubio, Gemma C.
Roncero, Carlos
McKenna, Peter J.
Pomarol-Clotet, Edith
author_role author
author2 Gonzalvo, Begoña
Canales-Rodrıguez, Erick J.
Blanco Hinojo, Laura, 1981-
Bachiller, Diana
Romaguera, Anna
Monté-Rubio, Gemma C.
Roncero, Carlos
McKenna, Peter J.
Pomarol-Clotet, Edith
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Cannabis -- Efectes fisiològics
MRI
Basal ganglia
Cannabis
Long-term users
Voxel-based morphometry
topic Cannabis -- Efectes fisiològics
MRI
Basal ganglia
Cannabis
Long-term users
Voxel-based morphometry
description Background: Structural imaging studies of cannabis users have found evidence of both cortical and subcortical volume reductions, especially in cannabinoid receptor-rich regions such as the hippocampus and amygdala. However, the findings have not been consistent. In the present study, we examined a sample of adult heavy cannabis users without other substance abuse to determine whether long-term use is associated with brain structural changes, especially in the subcortical regions. Method: We compared the gray matter volume of 14 long-term, heavy cannabis users with non-using controls. To provide robust findings, we conducted two separate studies using two different MRI techniques. Each study used the same sample of cannabis users and a different control group, respectively. Both control groups were independent of each other. First, whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to compare the cannabis users against 28 matched controls (HC1 group). Second, a volumetric analysis of subcortical regions was performed to assess differences between the cannabis users and a sample of 100 matched controls (HC2 group) obtained from a local database of healthy volunteers. Results: The VBM study revealed that, compared to the control group HC1, the cannabis users did not show cortical differences nor smaller volume in any subcortical structure but showed a cluster (p < 0.001) of larger GM volume in the basal ganglia, involving the caudate, putamen, pallidum, and nucleus accumbens, bilaterally. The subcortical volumetric analysis revealed that, compared to the control group HC2, the cannabis users showed significantly larger volumes in the putamen (p = 0.001) and pallidum (p = 0.0015). Subtle trends, only significant at the uncorrected level, were also found in the caudate (p = 0.05) and nucleus accumbens (p = 0.047). Conclusions: This study does not support previous findings of hippocampal and/or amygdala structural changes in long-term, heavy cannabis users. It does, however, provide evidence of basal ganglia volume increases.
publishDate 2018
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2018
2019
2019
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10230/37161
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00175
url http://hdl.handle.net/10230/37161
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00175
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2018 May 3;9:175
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Frontiers
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Frontiers
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
instname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
instname_str Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
reponame_str Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
collection Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
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