Cortical Thickness, Surface Area, and Volume of the Brain Reward System in Alcohol Dependence: Relationships to Relapse and Extended Abstinence

Abstract

Results suggest relapsers demonstrated morphological abnormalities in regions involved in the "top down" regulation/modulation of internal drive states, emotions, reward processing, and behavior, which may impart increased risk for the relapse/remit cycle that afflicts many with an alcohol use disorder. Results also highlight the importance of examining both cortical thickness and surface area to better understand the nature of regional volume loss frequently observed in alcohol use disorders. Results from this report are consistent with previous research implicating plastic neurobiological changes in the BRS in the maintenance of addictive disorders.