Previous voxel-based morphometric (VBM) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown changes in brain structure and function in cocaine addiction (CD) patients compared to healthy controls (HC). However, the results of these studies are poorly reproducible, and it is unclear whether there are common and specific neuroimaging changes. This meta-analysis study aimed to identify structural, functional, and multimodal abnormalities in CD patients.
The PubMed database was searched for VBM and task-state fMRI studies performed in CD patients between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2021, using the SEED-BASE d MAP software package to perform two independent meta-groups of functional neural activation and gray matter volume, respectively. Analysis, followed by multimodal analysis to uncover structural, functional, and multimodal abnormalities between CD and HC.
The meta-analysis included 14 CD fMRI studies (400 CD patients and 387 HCs) and 11 CD VBM studies (368 CD patients and 387 controls). Structurally, VBM analysis revealed significantly lower gray matter volumes in the right superior temporal gyrus, right insula, and right retrocentral gyrus than in the HC. On the other hand, the right inferior parietal gyrus increased in gray matter (GM) volume in CD patients. Functionally, fMRI analysis revealed activation in the right temporal pole, right insula, and right parahippocampal gyrus. In the right inferior parietal gyrus, the left inferior parietal gyrus, the left middle occipital gyrus, and the right middle frontal gyrus, the degree of activation was lower.
This meta-analysis showed that CD patients had significant brain GM and neural changes compared with normal controls. Furthermore, multi-domain assessments capture different aspects of neuronal alterations in CD, which may help develop effective interventions for specific functions.