The Intersections of Executive Control, Behavior, and Neurobiological Factors Linked with Drug Exposure among Adults and Adolescents

Authors

Lauren D. BowenFollow

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Major/Program

Cognitive Neuroscience

First Advisor's Name

Matthew T. Sutherland

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee chair

Second Advisor's Name

Angela R. Laird

Second Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Third Advisor's Name

Elisa Trucco

Third Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Fourth Advisor's Name

Miguel Cano Jr

Fourth Advisor's Committee Title

Committee member

Keywords

substance use, fMRI, adolescence, adult, executive control, prenatal exposure

Date of Defense

3-29-2023

Abstract

Substance use remains a global health concern, causing significant effects on normative neurocognitive functioning among adult and adolescent users, as well as children exposed to substances in utero. Elucidating the neurobehavioral alterations in executive cognitive functions linked with substance exposure across stages of the lifespan may provide important insight into developmentally sensitive interventions to mitigate substance-associated problems. In the current series of studies, we utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), objective behavioral, and self-report measures to interrogate the intersections of cognitive, behavioral, and neurobiological factors linked with substance exposure among adults that actively smoke cigarettes, adolescents with emerging substance use, and children prenatally exposed. In study 1, we examined the impact of chronic and acute nicotine exposure among abstinent smokers versus nonsmokers to provide enhanced insight into the neurobiological systems contributing to nicotine addiction and withdrawal. Outcomes highlighted aberrant ventromedial prefrontal (vmPFC)-centric resting-state activity among smokers (vs. non) within the default mode network ([DMN]; posterior cingulate [PCC], medial PFC). Additionally, we observed aberrant vmPFC-centric resting-state activity among smokers during withdrawal between the central executive network ([CEN]; dorsolateral PFC), salience network ([SN]; insula), and DMN (PCC) that was related to state-like attention and craving. In study 2, we investigated whether the ability to engage executive control (CEN) and disengage internally-directed brain systems (DMN) during a cognitively demanding task (working memory [WM]), and real-world cognitive difficulties forecasted substance use progression among adolescents. Outcomes suggested that individuals with reduced ability to disengage DMN regions (PCC), and those with greater everyday cognitive difficulties may be more vulnerable to substance use progression. In study 3, we considered neurocognitive alterations linked with maternal substance use during pregnancy, across pharmacological classes of drugs, on child WM. Outcomes highlighted children with prenatal alcohol exposure as displaying greater activity in the CEN (superior frontal) and SN (pre-supplementary motor, insula), that may reflect reduced efficiency. Together, the current studies’ results highlight the DMN (vmPFC, PCC) as potentially critical for targeting reduction of drug taking behaviors, while the CEN (lateral prefrontal, parietal) and SN (insula) may be critical for targeting cognitive alterations linked with substance exposure across stages of the lifespan.

Identifier

FIDC011027

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9817-7757

Recommended Citation

Bowen, Lauren D., "The Intersections of Executive Control, Behavior, and Neurobiological Factors Linked with Drug Exposure among Adults and Adolescents" (2023). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5296.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/5296