Brain Changes with Cannabis and Methamphetamine

描述（由申请人提供）：本修订提案的总体目标是建立在南非现有的MRI/功能性MRI能力的基础上，并应用新实施的结构和功能成像技术来检查南非西开普省青少年的大脑功能，这些青少年单独使用甲基苯丙胺或与大麻结合使用。在过去的几年里，我们在麦克林医院的脑成像中心（BIC）、哈佛医学院和斯泰伦博斯大学的脑成像小组（BIG）之间发起了一项研究合作，通过NIDA赞助的补充拨款奖，这项合作成为可能。拟议的R21旨在通过对南非合作伙伴进行核磁共振方法和核磁共振技术应用方面的培训，同时收集有关甲基苯丙胺和大麻使用影响的数据，巩固和扩大这种合作。最近在南非安装的功能性磁共振成像能力将通过以下方式扩大：a)提供关于磁共振成像方法基本概念的讲习班和教程；B)描述结构和功能成像协议的优化策略，以最大限度地提高图像质量，并促进个体水平上功能和结构数据的最佳协同配准；c)回顾用于fMRI的神经认知激活范式的开发和验证方法；d)对南非调查人员进行图像处理和形态测量和功能成像数据分析方面的培训，以培养使用SPM和brain voyager软件进行独立图像分析的能力；e)评估实施磁共振光谱的硬件和软件需求。这些功能磁共振成像技术将被应用于测试一个假设，即相对于不使用对照（n=10），在南非西开普省13-17岁的青少年中，单独使用甲基苯丙胺（n=10）或同时使用大麻（n=10）的青少年中，前额叶功能障碍（通过前扣带皮层（ACC）和背侧前额叶皮层（DLPFC）的BOLD信号减少来测量）将存在。然后将根据在R21期间获得的数据准备R01申请。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall aims of this revised proposal are to build on existing MRI/functional MRI capacity in South Africa and to apply newly implemented structural and functional imaging techniques to examine brain function in adolescents of the Western Cape region of South Africa who are heavy users of methamphetamine alone or in combination with cannabis. Over the past several years we have initiated a research collaboration between the Brain Imaging Center (BIC) at McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Brain Imaging Group (BIG) at the University of Stellenbosch made possible through a NIDA sponsored supplementary grant award. The proposed R21 is designed to consolidate and extend this collaboration by training collaborative South African partners in MR methodology and the application of MR techniques while simultaneously collecting data on the effects of methamphetamine and cannabis use. Functional magnetic resonance imaging capacity, recently installed in South Africa, will be expanded by a) providing workshops and tutorials on fundamental concepts underlying MR methods; b) describing strategies for optimization of structural and functional imaging protocols in order to maximize image quality and facilitate optimal co- registration of functional to structural data at the individual level; c) reviewing approaches for development and validation of neurocognitive activation paradigms for use with fMRI; d) training of South African investigators in image processing and analysis of morphometric and functional imaging data to develop independent image analysis capacity using SPM and brain voyager software and; e) evaluating hardware and software needs for implementing MR spectroscopy. These fMRI techniques will be applied to test the hypothesis that frontal dysfunction, as measured by reduced BOLD signal in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) will be present in adolescents, aged 13-17, of the Western Cape region of South Africa, who are heavy users of methamphetamine alone (n=10) or in combination with cannabis (n=10), relative to matched non-using controls (n=10). An R01 application will then be prepared based on the data acquired during the R21 period.