Effects of Drug Use and Cessation on Monkey Brain

描述（由申请人提供）：人体研究表明，可卡因依赖影响白质的微观结构，可能是由于药物的血管收缩作用。然而，对于依赖期白质损伤的时间发展和脑血管系统的变化，以及停止使用药物后两者的恢复情况，我们所知甚少。磁共振成像（MRI）提供了非常适合以非侵入性方式研究大脑解剖、结构、功能和化学特征的工具。在这个应用程序中，我们建议实施一套MRI技术来研究可卡因对猴子大脑的影响，特别是它对白质微观结构、灰质/白质体积、灰质和白质的血管分布和灌注以及猴子大脑的神经化学特征的影响。这些技术将用于对一小群控制良好的猴子进行初步研究。目的1。开发一种强有力的方法来研究猴子大脑的结构、解剖和功能测量。目标2。收集药物使用和停止对猴子大脑影响的初步数据。我们假设：1。长期自我服用可卡因会导致猴子的大脑发生类似于人类研究中看到的变化。2. 停止药物使用将导致大脑测量的正常化。这将解决一个重要的问题，即停止使用药物后是否有显著的大脑恢复。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Human studies show that cocaine dependence affects the microstructure of white matter, probably as a result of vasoconstrictive effects of the drug. Little is known, however, about the temporal development of the white matter injury and the changes in cerebral vasculature during the dependence period, or about the recovery of both with cessation of the drug use. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides tools that are highly suitable for investigating in a non-invasive manner the anatomical, structural and functional and chemical characteristics of the brain. In this application we propose to implement a set of MRI techniques for investigating the effects of the use of cocaine on monkey brain, in particular its effects on white matter microstructure on gray/white matter volumes, on the vascularity and perfusion of gray and white matter and on the neurochemical profile of the monkey brain. These techniques will be used to perform a preliminary study on a small and well-controlled population of monkeys. Aim 1. To develop a robust methodology for investigating structural, anatomical and functional measures in monkey brains. Aim 2. To collect preliminary data on the effects of drug use and its cessation on monkey brain. We hypothesize that: 1. Long term cocaine self-administration will result in brain changes in the monkeys similar to those seen in human studies. 2. Cessation of drug use will result in a normalization of brain measures. This will address the important issue of whether or not there is significant brain recovery following cessation of drug use.