Browsing by Author "Huffman, Ansley"

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    Alcohol Use and Prefrontal Cortex Volume Trajectories in Young Adults with Mood Disorders and Associated Clinical Outcomes
    (MDPI, 2022-02-22) Kirsch, Dylan E.; Tretyak, Valeria; Le, Vanessa; Huffman, Ansley; Fromme, Kim; Strakowski, Stephen M.; Lippard, Elizabeth T. C.; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Background: Alcohol use in the course of mood disorders is associated with worse clinical outcomes. The mechanisms by which alcohol use alters the course of illness are unclear but may relate to prefrontal cortical (PFC) sensitivity to alcohol. We investigated associations between alcohol use and PFC structural trajectories in young adults with a mood disorder compared to typically developing peers. Methods: 41 young adults (24 with a mood disorder, agemean = 21 ± 2 years) completed clinical evaluations, assessment of alcohol use, and two structural MRI scans approximately one year apart. Freesurfer was used to segment PFC regions of interest (ROIs) (anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal cortex, and frontal pole). Effects of group, alcohol use, time, and interactions among these variables on PFC ROIs at baseline and follow-up were modeled. Associations were examined between alcohol use and longitudinal changes in PFC ROIs with prospective mood. Results: Greater alcohol use was prospectively associated with decreased frontal pole volume in participants with a mood disorder, but not typically developing comparison participants (time-by-group-by-alcohol interaction; p = 0.007); however, this interaction became a statistical trend in a sensitivity analysis excluding one outlier in terms of alcohol use. Greater alcohol use and a decrease in frontal pole volume related to longer duration of major depression during follow-up (p’s < 0.05). Conclusion: Preliminary findings support more research on alcohol use, PFC trajectories, and depression recurrence in young adults with a mood disorder including individuals with heavier drinking patterns.
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    Nucleus accumbens functional connectivity changes underlying alcohol expectancies in bipolar disorder and prospective alcohol outcomes: a within-subject randomized placebo-controlled alcohol administration fMRI study
    (Frontiers Media, 2025-04-09) Lippard, Elizabeth T. C.; Kirsch, Dylan E.; Le, Vanessa; Lee, Skyler; Bibb, Nadia; Meek, Kaitlyn; Kosted, Raquel; Huffman, Ansley; Almeida, J. R. C.; Fromme, Kim; Strakowski, Stephen M.; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) occurs at higher rates in individuals with bipolar disorder compared to the general population. A paucity of data are available on specific mechanisms that may contribute to bipolar and AUD co-occurrence. We recently reported differences in alcohol expectancies and placebo response during alcohol administration in early-stage bipolar disorder, compared to healthy young adults. This current report investigated subjective and neural response following placebo beverage consumption in young adults with bipolar disorder. Methods: As part of a within-subject placebo-controlled alcohol administration study, 54 young adults (53% with bipolar disorder type I, age mean + SD = 23 + 2 years, 64% female) completed resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI) scans at baseline (pre-beverage) and following placebo and alcohol consumption (counter-balanced). Participants completed subjective response measures during placebo and alcohol beverage conditions. Between-group differences in subjective response and placebo-related changes in functional connectivity of the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) with other brain regions, compared to a pre-beverage rsfMRI baseline condition, were investigated. Fisher-transformed correlation coefficients between ROIs and seed-to-clusters showing a significant group-by-condition (placebo, pre-beverage rsfMRI) interaction were calculated. Associations with prospective alcohol use and problems were explored in a subgroup with longitudinal data. Results: Young adults with bipolar disorder reported greater intoxication during the placebo condition, compared to healthy young adults (main effects of group: p < 0.05). Compared to pre-beverage rsfMRI, the placebo condition related to increased connectivity between bilateral NAc and regions within the sensorimotor network in bipolar disorder. Comparison participants showed the opposite pattern of placebo-related changes in connectivity (group-by-condition, p-FDR < 0.05). Greater anxiolytic effects endorsed during placebo and associated increases in NAc functional connectivity related to greater alcohol use and alcohol problems at follow-up in bipolar disorder (p < 0.05). Discussion: Results suggest differences in placebo response in bipolar disorder, including distinct neural correlates, that may relate to prospective alcohol use/problems. Given the theoretical association between placebo response and self-reported alcohol expectancies, findings could open the door to interventions aimed at changing expectancies.