Neuroimaging metrics of drug- and food-cue reactivity as a function of psychopathic traits, substance use, and substance dependence

Abstract

We conducted two fMRI studies assessing the relationship between psychopathy and drug- and food-related neural reactivity. In the first study, we assessed the relationship between psychopathic traits and neural reactivity among 47 cocaine-dependent and 58 non-dependent participants. The cocaine-dependent group exhibited a neural processing bias towards drugrelated stimuli within a corticolimbic circuit involved in decision-making, salience attribution, and motivation. Psychopathic traits both sensitized this neural processing bias and modulated the effect of substance use severity. In the second study, we separated dependent participants into psychologically- (n =25) or physiologically-dependent (n = 20) participants and observed a neural processing bias towards drug-related stimuli among physiologically-dependent participants alone. Interestingly, both psychopathic traits and substance use severity exhibited positive correlations to drug > food reactivity within psychologically-dependent participants. These results further our understanding of the comorbidity between psychopathy and addiction and help conceptualize a new comprehensive model for the development of addiction.