Insula-Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex Coupling is Associated with Enhanced Brain Reactivity to Smoking Cues.

ABSTRACT: The insula plays a critical role in maintaining nicotine dependence and reactivity to smoking cues. More broadly, the insula and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) are key nodes of the salience network (SN), which integrates internal and extrapersonal information to guide behavior. Thus, insula-dACC interactions may be integral in processing salient information such as smoking cues that facilitate continued nicotine use. We evaluated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from nicotine-dependent participants during rest, and again when they viewed smoking-related images. Greater insula-dACC coupling at rest was significantly correlated with enhanced smoking cue-reactivity in brain areas associated with attention and motor preparation, including the visual cortex, right

SUBMITTER: Janes AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4915269 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature