Investigation of Cerebellar Involvement in AUD
Johns Hopkins University
Summary
The goal of this observational and interventional study is to better understand the involvement of the cerebellum in the brain reward system in persons with alcohol use disorder (AUD). The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. What is the nature of cerebellar input to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the brain reward system, and how is it perturbed in AUD? 2. What is the relationship between measures of cerebellar integrity and magnitude of reward activation to alcohol-related cues in cerebellar, VTA and other brain reward structures? 3. What is the therapeutic potential of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for modulating alcohol cue reactivity, associated alcohol craving, and cerebellar - VTA functional connectivity in the brain reward system? Persons with AUD will be compared with healthy control participants.
Description
Recent animal studies have provided new evidence that the cerebellum may have a stronger link to the reward system of the brain than was previously recognized. Direct projections from cerebellar deep nuclei (DN) to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) have been identified, and stimulation of these cerebellar afferents to the VTA was found to be rewarding. Such findings raise the possibility that cerebellar dysfunction could contribute substantially to addiction via a cerebellar influence over VTA. Consistent with animal findings, the investigators have found in human functional MRI (fMRI) prelimin…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 25–55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * completed at least 8 years of education Exclusion Criteria: * Estimated Intelligence Quotient (IQ) \< 90 * less than 5th grade reading level * Left handed * Non-fluent in English * current drug use disorder other than alcohol (except nicotine and caffeine) and or recent drug use in the last 90 days * Positive breath alcohol level at time of MRI scan or discrepancies between alcohol biomarker and self-report that cannot be resolved * Exhibiting symptoms of alcohol withdrawal on visit 1 assessment * Significant current psychiatric distress and or treatment * History of a…
Interventions
- Procedurecerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation
TDCS is a safe and non-invasive technique for modulating cortical excitability and behavior. TDCS, delivered via surface electrodes, induces an intracerebral current flow sufficient to achieve changes in cortical excitability. Anodal stimulation up-regulates cortical excitability, while cathodal stimulation decreases excitability.
Location
- Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimore, Maryland