Study on the correlation between prefrontal cortex thickness and alcohol addiction using magnetic resonance imaging in alcohol-dependent patients

  • Nguyen Thi Sinh Military Medical Academy
  • Nguyen Duy Bac Military Medical Academy
  • Dang Tien Truong Military Medical Academy
  • Nguyen Xuan Kien Military Medical Academy
  • Tran Ngoc Tuan Military Medical Academy
  • Tran Ngoc Anh Military Medical Academy

Main Article Content

Keywords

Alcohol addiction, prefrontal cortex thickness, multivariable analysis, MRI imaging

Tóm tắt

Objective: To investigate the correlation between alcohol addiction and prefrontal cortex thickness using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Subject and method: Conducted at the Thai Nguyen National Hospital from 2020 to 2022, the cross-sectional study involved 70 alcohol-dependent individuals and 70 healthy counterparts. Participants, right-handed males, were categorized based on DSM-5 criteria diagnosed with alcoholism or no by a psychiatrist. MRI imaging, employing a Siemens 1.5 Tesla scanner, captured brain structural data. Statistical analysis included Student's t-test and multivariate linear regression models. Result: While age and intracranial volume showed no significant differences between healthy and addicted groups, BMI differed significantly. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex thickness reductions were observed in various regions for the alcoholic group, with significant correlations (p<0.001). Age and intracranial volume emerged as predictors for specific regions. Conclusion: Alcohol addiction is associated with decreased gray matter thickness in the prefrontal cortex, emphasizing the role of age and intracranial volume in predicting these structural changes. The study underscores the need for further research to comprehensively understand the complexities of alcohol-induced brain damage.

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