Neurocognitive and Psychiatric Markers for Addiction: Common vs. Specific Endophenotypes for Heroin and Amphetamine Dependence.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The differential utility of neurocognitive impulsivity and externalizing/ internalizing traits as putative endophenotypes for dependence on heroin vs. amphetamine is unclear.

OBJECTIVE:

This exploratory study aims to determine: (1) whether neurocognitive impulsivity dimensions and externalizing/internalizing traits are correlated between siblings discordant for heroin and amphetamine dependence; and (2) which of these associations are common across substances and which are substance- specific.

METHODS:

Pearson correlations between individuals with 'pure' heroin and amphetamine dependence and their unaffected biological siblings (n = 37 heroin sibling pairs; n = 30 amphetamine sibling pairs) were run on 10 neurocognitive measures, 6 externalizing measures, and 5 internalizing measures. Sibling pair effects were further examined using regression.

RESULTS:

Siblings discordant for heroin dependence were significantly correlated on delay aversion on the Cambridge Gambling Task, risk-taking on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task, sensation seeking, and hopelessness. Siblings discordant for amphetamine dependence were significantly correlated on the quality of decision-making on the Cambridge Gambling Task, discriminability on the Immediate Memory Task, commission errors on the Go/No Go Task, trait impulsivity, ADHD and anxiety sensitivity.

CONCLUSION:

Dimensions of impulsivity and externalizing/internalizing traits appear to aggregate among siblings discordant for substance dependence. Risk-taking propensity, sensation seeking and hopelessness were specific for heroin sibling pairs. Motor/action impulsivity, trait impulsivity, and anxiety sensitivity were specific to amphetamine sibling pairs. Decisional/choice impulsivity was common across both heroin and amphetamine sibling pairs. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the utility of neurocognitive impulsivity and externalizing/ internalizing traits as candidate endophenotypes for substance dependence in general and for substance-specific dependencies.

• Authors: Elizabeth C Long, Radka Kaneva, Georgi Vasilev, F Gerard Moeller, Jasmin Vassileva
• Journal: Current topics in medicinal chemistry (Curr Top Med Chem) Vol. 20 Issue 7 Pg. 585-597 ( 2020) ISSN: 1873-4294 [Electronic] United Arab Emirates
• PMID: 32003694 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at [email protected].

Chemical References

• Heroin
• Amphetamine

Topics

• Adult
• Amphetamine (adverse effects)
• Analysis of Variance
• Behavior, Addictive (psychology)
• Cognition
• Decision Making
• Endophenotypes (metabolism)
• Female
• Heroin (adverse effects)
• Humans
• Impulsive Behavior
• Mental Status and Dementia Tests
• Personality Inventory
• Risk Assessment
• Siblings (psychology)
• Substance-Related Disorders (psychology)