Brain lesions disrupting addiction map to a common human brain circuit

Drug addiction is a significant public health concern demanding novel treatments. This study analyzed two cohorts of smoking addicts who experienced focal brain damage, investigating lesion locations associated with addiction remission. Lesion locations were mapped, and their functional connectivity was computed using human connectome data. A specific brain circuit characterized by positive connectivity to the dorsal cingulate, lateral prefrontal cortex, and insula, and negative connectivity to the medial prefrontal and temporal cortex, was identified as associated with remission. This circuit was replicated across independent cohorts and linked to reduced alcohol addiction risk. Key hubs in this circuit were identified as potential neuromodulation targets.

Juho Joutsa, Khaled Moussawi, Shan H. Siddiqi, Amir Abdolahi, William Drew, Alexander L. Cohen, Thomas J. Ross, Harshawardhan U. Deshpande, Henry Z. Wang, Joel Bruss, Elliot A. Stein, Nora D. Volkow, Jordan H. Grafman, Edwin van Wijngaarden, Aaron D. Boes, Michael D. Fox