Accumbens functional connectivity during reward mediates sensation-seeking and alcohol use in high-risk youth

摘要

BACKGROUNDDifferences in fronto-striatal connectivity in problem substance users have suggested reduced influence of cognitive regions on reward-salience regions. Youth with a family history of alcoholism (FH+) have disrupted ventral striatal processing compared with controls with no familial risk (FH−). As sensation-seeking represents an additional vulnerability factor, we hypothesized that functional connectivity during reward anticipation would differ by family history, and would mediate the relationship between sensation-seeking and drinking in high-risk subjects.