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. 2023 Jan 4:13:1048152.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1048152. eCollection 2022.

Prefrontal activity during the emotional go/no-go task and computational markers of risk-based decision-making predict future relapse in alcohol use disorder

Jun Sasaki  1   2 , Toshio Matsubara  1 , Chong Chen  1 , Yuko Fujii  1 , Yoko Fujita  2 , Masako Nakamuta  2 , Kumiko Nitta  2 , Kazuteru Egashira  3 , Takashi Hashimoto  2 , Shin Nakagawa  1
Affiliations

Prefrontal activity during the emotional go/no-go task and computational markers of risk-based decision-making predict future relapse in alcohol use disorder

Jun Sasaki et al. Front Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Aim: To longitudinally examine if the results of cognitive tasks or brain function during emotional or cognitive tasks can predict relapse in alcohol use disorder.

Methods: We selected 41 patients with alcohol use disorder during hospitalization. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured the relative change in oxygenated hemoglobin in the frontotemporal areas during an emotional go/no-go task and verbal fluency task (VFT). They performed the N-back and risk-based decision-making tasks for determining working memory or risk-based decision-making. The presence of relapse 6 months following discharge was the primary outcome.

Results: Twenty-four patients (21 men, three women) remained abstinent, whereas 17 (14 men, three women) relapsed. Compared with the abstinent group, those with relapse displayed significantly decreased activation in the right frontotemporal region during the emotional go/no-go task, significantly shorter reaction time to non-emotional stimuli, and greater risk preference in the risk-based decision-making task. In the abstinent group, we observed a negative correlation between oxygenated hemoglobin and the craving scale. A logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the risk of relapse increased with smaller oxygenated hemoglobin in the right frontotemporal region (odds ratio = 0.161, p = 0.013) and with greater gambling thoughts (odds ratio = 7.04, p = 0.033).

Conclusion: Decreased activation in the right frontotemporal region in response to an emotional stimulus and risk preference could predict relapse in alcohol use disorder.

Keywords: alcohol use disorder; decision-making task; emotional go/no-go task; functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS); predictors; relapse.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Study design.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Anatomical areas of the brain measured by fNIRS. The numbers in tangerine-colored circles represent the channels of measurement in the anatomical area (A): The frontopolar area (channel #25–28, 36–38, and 46–49) corresponding to the superior and middle frontal gyri; (B): Left frontotemporal areas (channel #29–31, 39–42, and 50–52) corresponding to the inferior and middle frontal gyri; and (C): Right frontotemporal areas (channel #22–24, 32–35, and 43–45) corresponding to the anterior portion of the superior and middle temporal gyri.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Experimental design of the emotional go/no-go task.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Experimental design of the risk-based decision-making task.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Brain activation displayed as the integral value of (oxy–Hb) in the frontopolar, left frontotemporal, and right frontotemporal regions during the emotional go/no-go task. *P < 0.05.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
A comparison of the results in the risk-based decision-making task between the groups. (A) λ (B) γ. *P < 0.05.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
A correlation analysis of the integral value of (oxy–Hb) in the right frontotemporal region during the emotional go/no-go task and ARRS-SV. ARRS-SV, alcohol relapse risk scale-stimulus-induced vulnerability.
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