Ventral Striatum Connectivity During Reward Anticipation in Adolescent Smokers

Dev Neuropsychol. 2016 Jan-Mar;41(1-2):6-21. doi: 10.1080/87565641.2016.1164172. Epub 2016 Apr 13.

Abstract

Substance misusers, including adolescent smokers, often have reduced reward system activity during processing of non-drug rewards. Using a psychophysiological interaction approach, we examined functional connectivity with the ventral striatum during reward anticipation in a large (N = 206) sample of adolescent smokers. Increased smoking frequency was associated with (1) increased connectivity with regions involved in saliency and valuation, including the orbitofrontal cortex and (2) reduced connectivity between the ventral striatum and regions associated with inhibition and risk aversion, including the right inferior frontal gyrus. These results demonstrate that functional connectivity during reward processing is relevant to adolescent addiction.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anticipation, Psychological / physiology*
  • Brain Mapping
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inhibition, Psychological
  • Machine Learning
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Male
  • Motivation / physiology*
  • Nerve Net / physiopathology*
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiopathology*
  • Reward*
  • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Smoking / physiopathology*
  • Smoking / psychology*
  • Ventral Striatum / physiopathology*