Nucleus Accumbens Response to Reward among Children with a Family History of Alcohol Use Problems: Convergent Findings from the ABCD Study® and Michigan Longitudinal Study

• DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070913
• Publication Date: 2022-07-14T02:06:00Z
• Authors: Meghan E. Martz; Jillian E. Hardee; Lora M. Cope; Katherine L. McCurry; Mary Soules; Robert A. Zucker; Mary M. Heitzeg
• Keywords: Anticipation (artificial intelligence); Alcohol use disorder; Vulnerability

Having a family history of alcohol use problems (FH+) conveys risk for in offspring. Reward-related brain functioning may play role this vulnerability. The present study investigated function the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) associated with anticipation reward youth two biological parents (FH+2), one parent (FH+1), and no (FH-). Participants were from large, national Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (mean age: 9.93; 48% female; FH+2 n = 223, FH+1 1447, FH- 9690) Michigan Longitudinal (MLS), consisting community-recruited families high rates disorder 10.54; 39.3% 40, 51, 40). Reward was measured by monetary incentive delay task. Regression models used to assess associations between FH status large rewards right left NAcc regions interest. In both studies, showed blunted anticipatory responding compared youth. MLS, also had group. Convergent results across separate samples provide insights into unique vulnerability suggest that binary FH+ versus categorizations obscure important differences within