Publications by authors named "A U Pitel"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the changes in gray matter (GM) volume in the insula, a brain region linked to addiction, comparing severe alcohol use disorder (sAUD) and severe cocaine use disorder (sCUD).
- Researchers analyzed 12 subregions of the insula using a sample of 50 sAUD patients, 61 sCUD patients, and 36 healthy controls, finding overall lower insula volume in both disorders, particularly in the anterior long gyrus (ALG).
- The results highlight both shared and distinct patterns of insula volume deficits between sAUD and sCUD, suggesting that while the insula is important in substance use disorders, each disorder may have unique characteristics that could inform treatment approaches.
The thalamus has a key role in mediating cortical-subcortical interactions but is often neglected in neuroimaging studies, which mostly focus on changes in cortical structure and activity. One of the main reasons for the thalamus being overlooked is that the delineation of individual thalamic nuclei via neuroimaging remains controversial. Indeed, neuroimaging atlases vary substantially regarding which thalamic nuclei are included and how their delineations were established.
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- Alcohol use disorder is a chronic condition that leads to harmful impacts on a person’s overall health, which can also result in Korsakoff's syndrome, a serious complication marked by significant memory problems.
- This study aimed to analyze how long-term alcohol consumption affects brain connectivity, specifically in areas known as the fronto-cerebellar and Papez circuits, and to identify unique connectivity issues in patients with Korsakoff's syndrome.
- Researchers conducted neuropsychological assessments and resting-state functional MRI on both healthy individuals and those with alcohol use disorder to discover reduced connectivity efficiency in the brain's circuits and to explore the relationship between brain function and cognitive abilities in the context of these conditions.
Aims: Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD) is an important health issue, associated with structural brain abnormalities. However, the impact of the route of administration and their predictive value for relapse remain unknown.
Methods: We conducted an anatomical MRI study in 55 CUD patients (26 CUD-Crack and 29 CUD-Hydro) entering inpatient detoxification, and 38 matched healthy controls.
Background: Psychoeducation constitutes a routine therapeutic practice in most treatment settings for severe alcohol use disorder (sAUD). This technique is considered an efficient way to help patients to learn more about their disease and achieve therapeutic objectives. However, this approach capitalizes on three untested assumptions: namely, that (1) patients with sAUD possess insufficient knowledge about sAUD at treatment entry; (2) patients with sAUD have the cognitive resources to learn new information and benefit from psychoeducation; and (3) psychoeducation positively impacts clinical outcomes.
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