technetium-tc-99m-exametazime and Gambling

Previous studies have shown that cocaine abusers have cerebral perfusion deficits that may diminish cognitive functioning. This study examined whether cocaine-dependent patients have perfusion abnormalities associated with poor decision-making ability as measured by the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT).. Seventeen abstinent cocaine-dependent patients were administered the IGT after completion of resting 99mTc-HMPAO single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).. Better IGT performance was negatively correlated with perfusion within the anterior cingulate gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, and superior frontal gyrus. The time to complete card selections was positively correlated with the severity of impairment.. Resting hyperperfusion in brain regions previously implicated in decision making and response inhibition was associated with worse IGT scores. Impaired performance was related to a greater amount of time taken for card selections, suggesting that reduced ability was due to cognitive factors other than an impulsive response pattern.

Topics: Adult; Brain Mapping; Cerebral Cortex; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Cocaine-Related Disorders; Decision Making; Female; Gambling; Humans; Male; Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Orbitofrontal cortex regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) is lower in cocaine-dependent subjects than in non-cocaine-dependent subjects. Performance on the Gambling Task, a test of decision making, is a putative correlate of orbitofrontal cortex activity and is reportedly impaired in drug-dependent subjects. The authors tested the hypothesis that lower Gambling Task scores would be associated with lower resting orbitofrontal cortex rCBF in cocaine-dependent subjects.. Fifteen healthy comparison subjects and 13 abstinent cocaine-dependent subjects underwent resting single photon emission computed tomography to measure rCBF, after which they completed the Gambling Task.. Resting anterior cingulate and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex rCBF significantly correlated with performance on the Gambling Task, but orbitofrontal cortex rCBF did not. Left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex rCBF was lower in the cocaine-dependent subjects than in the comparison subjects.. Resting anterior cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex rCBF is significantly related to decision making, as assessed by the Gambling Task.

Topics: Adult; Cerebral Cortex; Cerebrovascular Circulation; Cocaine-Related Disorders; Female; Gambling; Gyrus Cinguli; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Psychomotor Performance; Radiopharmaceuticals; Rest; Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon