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. 2011 Jan 1;54(1):42-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.08.008. Epub 2010 Aug 10.

Factors underlying prefrontal and insula structural alterations in smokers

Xiaochu Zhang  1 , Betty Jo Salmeron, Thomas J Ross, Xiujuan Geng, Yihong Yang, Elliot A Stein
Affiliations

Factors underlying prefrontal and insula structural alterations in smokers

Xiaochu Zhang et al. Neuroimage. .

Abstract

Based upon previous reports of alterations in white matter integrity and gray matter density in smokers, we examined these markers in a large, well-matched sample of smokers and non-smokers. We further investigated the effect of heavy cigarette exposure by using pack-years and the effects of two relatively stable, highly heritable traits in smokers (Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND), a measure of severity of nicotine dependence and Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), a stable personality trait related to smoking). Forty-eight nicotine-dependent subjects and 48 matched controls were included in the analyses, with smokers also subdivided into high/low dependence and high/low pack-years smokers. White matter integrity (fractional anisotropy (FA)) and gray matter density (voxel-based morphometry (VBM)) were measured and compared across groups. Gray matter density was lower in left prefrontal cortex (PFC) in high pack-years smokers and was inversely related to pack-years. In contrast, left insular cortex gray matter density was higher in smokers and associated with TAS-20 total score and with difficulty-identifying-feelings factor. Further, the most highly dependent smokers showed lower prefrontal FA, which was negatively correlated with FTND. There was no correlation between pack-years and FTND in our smoker population. These data suggest chronic tobacco use is correlated with prefrontal gray matter damage , while differences in insula gray matter and PFC white matter appear to reflect stable and heritable differences between smokers and non-smokers.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Clusters that showed a significant difference between smokers and controls. A. Lower white matter integrity (i.e., FA) in the left prefrontal area in high FTND smoker group, compared to high FTND control group. The FA DTI analysis is projected onto a white matter skeleton (shown in green) of the right hemisphere MNI brain. B. Higher gray matter density in the left insula in all smokers compared with all controls. C. Lower gray matter density in the left prefrontal cortex in high pack-years smoker group vs. high pack-years control group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A. Significant correlation between white matter integrity (FA) in the left prefrontal area and FTND score in high FTND smokers. B. Significant correlation between gray matter density in the left prefrontal cortex and pack-years in high pack-years smokers. All data were corrected for age, gender and years of education.
Figure 3
Figure 3
A. Significant correlation between gray matter density in the left insula and TAS-20 (total score). B. Significant correlation between gray matter density in the left insula and TAS-20 DIF subscale. Data were corrected for age, gender and years of education.
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