Neurobehavioral Predictors of Cognitive Decline in Methamphetamine Dependence

描述（由申请人提供）：当前的研究提案旨在通过创建“差异评分”（包括认知测试中预期认知表现和当前表现之间的差异），提供与甲基苯丙胺（MA）依赖相关的认知下降的改进估计。将使用人口统计学变量、发病前估计程序和开始药物滥用前受试者的学校记录，估计MA依赖性和健康对照受试者的预期认知表现。然后，我们将确定神经解剖学和行为的差异得分在MA依赖的主题预测。行为预测因子将包括药物滥用变量、人口统计学变量和心理社会因素，而神经解剖学预测因子将包括从结构MRI数据的自动和半自动分析中识别的灰质和白色物质测量（例如，VBM和DTI）。识别差异分数的预测因子将涉及MA依赖性认知下降的风险因素。 候选人有临床神经心理学的背景，他从这个奖项中寻求两个主要的培训目标：1）学习结构神经成像技术，2）成为药物滥用，特别是MA滥用方面的专家。候选人在加州大学洛杉矶分校分子神经成像实验室的工作环境为接受神经成像和药物滥用培训提供了无可挑剔的基础设施，他将接受这些领域知名专家的指导和咨询。该实验室有几个赠款资助的正在进行的MA依赖性研究，与脑映射中心和住院综合临床研究中心（GCRC）有着密切的联系。作为培训的一部分，候选人将参加基础神经成像主题（编程，统计，图像采集，神经解剖学）和更高级神经成像主题（例如，DTI解释），以及药物滥用的生物学和精神病学基础课程。他还将参加药物滥用（CPDD）和神经成像（例如，人脑图谱），并定期与导师见面。候选人计划在奖励期结束时提交R01补助金。从长远来看，他计划建立一个独立的研究生涯，研究大脑结构和药物滥用行为之间的关系。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The current research proposal seeks to provide an improved estimate of cognitive decline associated with methamphetamine (MA) dependence by creating "discrepancy scores" which consist of the difference between expected cognitive performance and current performance on a cognitive battery. Expected cognitive performance will be estimated in MA-dependent and healthy control subjects using demographic variables, pre-morbid estimation procedures, and participants' school records prior to the initiation of drug abuse. We will then determine the neuroanatomical and behavioral predictors of discrepancy scores in MA-dependent subjects. Behavioral predictors will include drug abuse variables, demographic variables, and psychosocial factors, while neuroanatomical predictors will consist of gray matter and white matter measurements identified from automated and semi-automated analysis of structural MRI data (e.g., VBM and DTI). Identifying predictors of discrepancy scores will implicate risk factors for cognitive decline in MA dependence. The candidate has a background in clinical neuropsychology and he seeks two primary training goals from this award: 1) learn structural neuroimaging techniques, and 2) become an expert in substance abuse, particularly MA abuse. The candidate's work environment at the UCLA Laboratory of Molecular Neuroimaging provides an impeccable infrastructure for being trained in neuroimaging and substance abuse, and he will be mentored and consulted by renowned experts in these areas. The lab has several grant-funded, ongoing studies in MA dependence with strong ties to the Brain Mapping Center and the inpatient General Clinical Research Center (GCRC). As part of training, the candidate will attend several courses and workshops in foundational neuroimaging topics (programming, statistics, image acquisition, neuroanatomy) and more advanced neuroimaging topics (e.g., DTI interpretation), as well as courses in the biological and psychiatric bases of substance abuse. He will also attend annual conferences in substance abuse (CPDD) and neuroimaging (e.g., Human Brain Mapping), and meet with mentors regularly. The candidate plans to submit for a R01 grant toward the end of the award period. Long term, he plans to found an independent research career examining the relationship between brain structure and behavior in substance abuse.