Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports最新文献

Purpose of review: This review aims to summarize the research on brain activity during affective processing (i.e., reward, negative emotional stimuli, loss) and adolescent substance use (SU).

Recent findings: Most research revealed links between altered neural activity in midcingulo-insular, frontoparietal and other network regions and adolescent SU. Increased recruitment of midcingulo-insular regions-particularly the striatum-to positive affective stimuli (e.g., monetary reward) was most often associated with initiation and low-level use of substances, whereas decreased recruitment of these regions was most often associated with SUD and higher risk SU. In regards to negative affective stimuli, most research demonstrated increased recruitment of midcingulo-insular network regions. There is also evidence that these associations may be sex-specific.

Summary: Future research should employ longitudinal designs that assess affect-related brain activity prior to and following SU initiation and escalation. Moreover, examining sex as as moderating variable may help clarify if affective neural risk factors are sex-specific.

Purpose of review: This narrative review highlights important factors contributing to loneliness in older adults prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic and effects on brain health.

Recent findings: We characterize risk factors for loneliness in older adulthood and the impact of COVID-19. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of loneliness for older adults' brain health.

Summary: Understanding the multifactorial causes of loneliness in different subpopulations of older adults both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic will provide insights for the development of interventions targeted to reduce loneliness in older adults based on their specific risk factors.

Purpose of review: Clinical insight is an emerging interest in substance use disorder research, but is difficult to study empirically. We reviewed recent research examining the behavioral and neural correlates of several psychological processes tapping into self-awareness that may in turn contribute to insight.

Recent findings: Individuals with substance use disorder exhibit deficits in self-monitoring (especially self-report / behavior dissociations), metacognition, alexithymia, readiness for behavior change, and interoception. Behavioral impairments have been further linked to neural abnormalities in a diverse network of brain regions encompassing cortical midline areas, insula, and frontal cortex, among others. Various treatment modalities may target these deficits, though corresponding effects on neural circuitry remain to be determined.

Summary: Compromised insight in substance use disorder may be relevant to a constellation of behaviors that suggest a lack of behavioral awareness linked to drug use. Future work needs to refine and advance the measurements, continuing to investigate insight problems in addiction that may become important therapeutic targets.

Purpose of review: Given increases in the rates of alcohol and cannabis co-use among adolescents and young adults, this review aims to summarize literature on the effects of alcohol and cannabis co-use on neurocognitive functioning, brain structure, and brain function.

Recent findings: The limited existing studies examining concurrent, recent, and lifetime alcohol and cannabis co-use suggest effects on the brain are likely multifaceted. The majority of studies report that co-use is associated with negative outcomes such as impaired cognitive function and significant alterations in key structural and functional regions of the brain, while others report null effects of co-use compared to non-substance using control and single-substance use groups.

Summary: Current studies lack a general consensus on methodology, definitions of concurrent and simultaneous use, and neuroimaging approaches, which makes it challenging to draw strong conclusions about the effects of co-use. More studies are needed to explore the effects of co-use in the context of simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use.

Purpose of review: This review examines the neurocognitive effects of cannabis and relevant developmental factors across adolescence (age 13-21), adulthood (21-65), and older adulthood (65+).

Recent findings: Cannabis use is robustly associated with poorer neurocognitive functioning; however, studies that carefully control for confounds have often not found any evidence for impairment. Notably, the endocannabinoid system may underly how cannabis use affects neurocognitive functions, including heightened vulnerability during adolescence. In contrast, the endocannabinoid system may underlie protective neurocognitive effects of cannabis in older adults. Notably, older adults have reported sharp increases in recent cannabis use.

Summary: As legalization increases the accessibility, variety, and potency of cannabis, strong empirical evidence is needed to understand its neurocognitive effects across the lifespan. In particular, rigorous study designs are needed to investigate the neurocognitive effects of cannabis, including among vulnerable populations (adolescents, older adults) and mediating (e.g., endocannabinoid system) and moderating factors (e.g., alcohol use).