Impulsivity, Neural Deficits and Cocaine Addiction

Impulsivity, Neural Deficits, and Relapse in Cocaine Addiction

The purpose of this study is to assess neurocognitive and associated neural regions/circuitry disruptions relevant to impulsive relapse in cocaine-addicted subjects, and the relationship of the cognitive and neural mechanisms of impulsivity/decision-making to relapse style.

This study is designed to explore putative differences in impulsive behaviors and decision making in cocaine-addicted and healthy control subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), single photon emission tomography (SPECT), and neurocognitive tasks. We predict that cocaine-addicted subjects will demonstrate neurocognitive and neural alterations in measures of impulsivity and decision-making when compared to healthy controls. That is, cocaine-addicted subjects will show both decreased activation and decreased resting measures of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of the brain structures associated with impulsivity and decision-making. Furthermore, neurocognitive and neural deficits associated with impulsivity and decision-making will be associated with each other and with measures indicative of an impulsive relapse and altered decision making.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Cocaine-dependence (patient population) or no cocaine-dependence (control population).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other medical or psychiatric disorders that may effect neural functioning.
• Medications that may effect neural functioning.