Modulation of risky choices in recently abstinent dependent cocaine users: a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) study

Previous neurobiological and neuropsychological investigations have shown that risk-taking behaviors and addictions share many structural and functional aspects. In particular, both are characterised by an irresistible need to obtain immediate rewards as well as by specific alterations in brain circ...

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Main Authors: Alessandra eGorini, Claudio eLucchiari, William eRussell-edu, Gabriella ePravettoni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2014-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00661/full
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spelling doaj-eb3f17d04390448a8988fed2c12a784a2020-11-25T03:22:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612014-08-01810.3389/fnhum.2014.00661103501Modulation of risky choices in recently abstinent dependent cocaine users: a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) studyAlessandra eGorini0Alessandra eGorini1Claudio eLucchiari2Claudio eLucchiari3William eRussell-edu4Gabriella ePravettoni5Gabriella ePravettoni6Università degli Studi di MilanoEuropean Institute of OncologyUniversità degli Studi di MilanoEuropean Institute of OncologyEuropean Institute of OncologyUniversità degli Studi di MilanoEuropean Institute of OncologyPrevious neurobiological and neuropsychological investigations have shown that risk-taking behaviors and addictions share many structural and functional aspects. In particular, both are characterised by an irresistible need to obtain immediate rewards as well as by specific alterations in brain circuits responsible for such behaviors.In this study, we used a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of two samples of subjects (18 dependent cocaine users and 18 control subjects) to investigate the effects of left and right cortical excitability on two risk tasks: the Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART) and the Game of Dice Task (GDT). All subjects randomly received a left anodal/right cathodal stimulation (LAn+), a right anodal/left cathodal stimulation (RAn+), and a sham (placebo) stimulation each run at least 48 hours apart. Participants were asked to perform the BART and the GDT immediately before and after each stimulation.Our results reveal that the activation of the DLPFC (left and right) results in a reduction of risky behaviors at the BART task both in controls subjects and cocaine dependent users. The effect of dTCS on GDT, instead, is more complex. Cocaine users increased safe behavior after right DLPFC anodal stimulation, while risk-taking behavior increased after left DLPFC anodal stimulation. Control subjects’ performance were only affected by the anodal stimulation of the right DLPFC, resulting in an increase of safe bets. These results support the hypothesis that excessive risk propensity in dependent cocaine users, might be due to a hypoactivation of the right DLPFC, as well as to an unbalance interhemispheres interaction. In conclusion, since risky decision-making seems to be, at least in part, responsible for maintenance and relapse of addiction, we argue that a neuromodulation-based approach could represent a valuable adjunct in the clinical treatment of addiction.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00661/fulldorsolateral prefrontal cortexRewarddrug addictionRisk Perceptioncortical stimulation
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Alessandra eGorini
Alessandra eGorini
Claudio eLucchiari
Claudio eLucchiari
William eRussell-edu
Gabriella ePravettoni
Gabriella ePravettoni
spellingShingle Alessandra eGorini
Alessandra eGorini
Claudio eLucchiari
Claudio eLucchiari
William eRussell-edu
Gabriella ePravettoni
Gabriella ePravettoni
Modulation of risky choices in recently abstinent dependent cocaine users: a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) study
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Reward
drug addiction
Risk Perception
cortical stimulation
author_facet Alessandra eGorini
Alessandra eGorini
Claudio eLucchiari
Claudio eLucchiari
William eRussell-edu
Gabriella ePravettoni
Gabriella ePravettoni
author_sort Alessandra eGorini
title Modulation of risky choices in recently abstinent dependent cocaine users: a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) study
title_short Modulation of risky choices in recently abstinent dependent cocaine users: a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) study
title_full Modulation of risky choices in recently abstinent dependent cocaine users: a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) study
title_fullStr Modulation of risky choices in recently abstinent dependent cocaine users: a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) study
title_full_unstemmed Modulation of risky choices in recently abstinent dependent cocaine users: a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) study
title_sort modulation of risky choices in recently abstinent dependent cocaine users: a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tdcs) study
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
series Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
issn 1662-5161
publishDate 2014-08-01
description Previous neurobiological and neuropsychological investigations have shown that risk-taking behaviors and addictions share many structural and functional aspects. In particular, both are characterised by an irresistible need to obtain immediate rewards as well as by specific alterations in brain circuits responsible for such behaviors.In this study, we used a transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of two samples of subjects (18 dependent cocaine users and 18 control subjects) to investigate the effects of left and right cortical excitability on two risk tasks: the Balloon Analog Risk Task (BART) and the Game of Dice Task (GDT). All subjects randomly received a left anodal/right cathodal stimulation (LAn+), a right anodal/left cathodal stimulation (RAn+), and a sham (placebo) stimulation each run at least 48 hours apart. Participants were asked to perform the BART and the GDT immediately before and after each stimulation.Our results reveal that the activation of the DLPFC (left and right) results in a reduction of risky behaviors at the BART task both in controls subjects and cocaine dependent users. The effect of dTCS on GDT, instead, is more complex. Cocaine users increased safe behavior after right DLPFC anodal stimulation, while risk-taking behavior increased after left DLPFC anodal stimulation. Control subjects’ performance were only affected by the anodal stimulation of the right DLPFC, resulting in an increase of safe bets. These results support the hypothesis that excessive risk propensity in dependent cocaine users, might be due to a hypoactivation of the right DLPFC, as well as to an unbalance interhemispheres interaction. In conclusion, since risky decision-making seems to be, at least in part, responsible for maintenance and relapse of addiction, we argue that a neuromodulation-based approach could represent a valuable adjunct in the clinical treatment of addiction.
topic dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Reward
drug addiction
Risk Perception
cortical stimulation
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00661/full
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