Impairment of prefrontal cortex cognitive control functions in methamphetamine use disorder: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

BACKGROUND

While most research focuses on reactive control, proactive control may represent an endophenotype for resisting drug-seeking behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying these two types of cognitive control abilities in methamphetamine (MA) patients.

METHODS

30 MA patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Cognitive control abilities were assessed using the Preparing to Overcome Prepotency (POP) task, while prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity was monitored using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between MA patients and HCs in reaction time changes (ΔRT) or accuracy changes (ΔACC) during the POP task (all p > 0.05). During the POP, MA patients showed significant greater oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) integral values in the left frontal pole, but significant lower oxy-Hb integral values in the right supplementary premotor area (rPre-SMA) and right pars triangularis Broca's area compared to HCs (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, during the proactive control phase, only the oxy-Hb integral value in the left inferior frontal gyrus (lIFG) showed significant differences between the two groups: MA patients showed positive activation in lIFG, while HCs showed negative activation. During the reactive control phase, MA patients exhibited significantly lower oxy-Hb integral values in the rPre-SMA and right pars triangularis Broca's area (all p < 0.05), but greater oxy-Hb integral values in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and left frontal pole (all p < 0.05) compared to HCs.

CONCLUSIONS

MA patients maintain intact behavioral performance via prefrontal functional reorganization, characterized by asymmetric activation deficits, and proactive and reactive control differentially recruit prefrontal regions.