Disruption of Orbitofronto-Striatal Functional Connectivity Underlies Maladaptive Persistent Behaviors in Alcohol-Dependent Patients

• Published in: Psychiatry investigation Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 266 - 272
• Main Authors: Lee, Seojung, Lee, Eun, Ku, Jeonghun, Yoon, Kang-Jun, Namkoong, Kee, Jung, Young-Chul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 01.09.2013; 대한신경정신의학회
• Subjects: Original; 정신과학; Decision-making; fMRI; Alcohol; Medial orbitofrontal cortex; Dorsal striatum
• ISSN: 1738-3684; 1976-3026; 1976-3026
• DOI: 10.4306/pi.2013.10.3.266

Alcohol dependence is characterized by persistent alcohol-seeking despite negative consequences. Previous studies suggest that maladaptive persistent behaviors reflect alcohol-induced brain changes that cause alterations in the cortico-striatal-limbic circuit. Twenty one alcohol dependent patients and 24 age-matched healthy controls performed a decision-making task during functional MRI. We defined the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) as a region-of-interest and performed seed-based functional connectivity analysis. Healthy controls were more flexible in adapting an alternative behavioral strategy, which correlated with stronger mOFC-dorsal striatum functional connectivity. In contrast, alcohol dependent patients persisted to the first established behavioral strategy. The mOFC-dorsal striatum functional connectivity was impaired in the alcohol-dependent patients, but increased in correlation with the duration of abstinence. Our findings support that the disruption of the mOFC-striatal circuitry contribute to the maldaptive persistent behaviors in alcohol dependent patients.