Relationship between white matter changes and aggression in methamphetamine dependence

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dc.contributor.advisorStein, Dan Jen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorUhlmann, Anneen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLederer, Katharina Johannaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-08-27T12:35:34Z
dc.date.available2015-08-27T12:35:34Z
dc.date.issued2015en_ZA
dc.description.abstractBackground: Methamphetamine (MA) abuse is a growing problem in the world and especially in South Africa’s Western Cape. Amphetamine-type stimulants have become the second most widely abused illicit drugs worldwide. Admission data from substance abuse treatment centres in the Western Cape show the fastest increase for any drug ever noted in the country in MA related admissions. MA has neurotoxic effects on the brain leading, amongst other effects, to white matter (WM) changes. Moreover, increased levels of aggression are commonly found in individuals with MA abuse. Although behavioural deficits are well described, the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. While previous studies have examined WM abnormalities relating to cognitive impairment, none have investigated associations between WM integrity in individuals with MA dependence and aggression. Methods: Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) was used to investigate WM changes in 40 individuals with MA dependence and 40 matched healthy control subjects. Aggression was measured with the Buss & Perry Questionnaire in 40 MA users and 36 controls. Two approaches to assess WM integrity in the brain were employed. First, whole brain voxel wise comparison across subjects using tract based spatial statistics (TBSS) in FSL was used. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), parallel diffusivity (λ║) and perpendicular diffusivity (λ┴) were compared between the two groups. Second, a region of interest (ROI) approach was used, which focused on three WM tracts in the frontal brain, commonly found to play a role in aggressive behaviour: (1) the genu of the corpus callosum (CC), (2) the cingulum and (3) the uncinate fasciculus.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationLederer, K. J. (2015). <i>Relationship between white matter changes and aggression in methamphetamine dependence</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13802en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationLederer, Katharina Johanna. <i>"Relationship between white matter changes and aggression in methamphetamine dependence."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13802en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationLederer, K. 2015. Relationship between white matter changes and aggression in methamphetamine dependence. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Lederer, Katharina Johanna AB - Background: Methamphetamine (MA) abuse is a growing problem in the world and especially in South Africa’s Western Cape. Amphetamine-type stimulants have become the second most widely abused illicit drugs worldwide. Admission data from substance abuse treatment centres in the Western Cape show the fastest increase for any drug ever noted in the country in MA related admissions. MA has neurotoxic effects on the brain leading, amongst other effects, to white matter (WM) changes. Moreover, increased levels of aggression are commonly found in individuals with MA abuse. Although behavioural deficits are well described, the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. While previous studies have examined WM abnormalities relating to cognitive impairment, none have investigated associations between WM integrity in individuals with MA dependence and aggression. Methods: Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) was used to investigate WM changes in 40 individuals with MA dependence and 40 matched healthy control subjects. Aggression was measured with the Buss & Perry Questionnaire in 40 MA users and 36 controls. Two approaches to assess WM integrity in the brain were employed. First, whole brain voxel wise comparison across subjects using tract based spatial statistics (TBSS) in FSL was used. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), parallel diffusivity (λ║) and perpendicular diffusivity (λ┴) were compared between the two groups. Second, a region of interest (ROI) approach was used, which focused on three WM tracts in the frontal brain, commonly found to play a role in aggressive behaviour: (1) the genu of the corpus callosum (CC), (2) the cingulum and (3) the uncinate fasciculus. DA - 2015 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2015 T1 - Relationship between white matter changes and aggression in methamphetamine dependence TI - Relationship between white matter changes and aggression in methamphetamine dependence UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13802 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/13802
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationLederer KJ. Relationship between white matter changes and aggression in methamphetamine dependence. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2015 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13802en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychiatry and Mental Healthen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherNeuroscienceen_ZA
dc.titleRelationship between white matter changes and aggression in methamphetamine dependenceen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMSc (Med)en_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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