Erica N. Grodin

Clinical Neuroscientist

Effect of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis co-use on gray matter volume in heavy drinkers.


Journal article


E. Grodin, E. Burnette, Brandon Towns, A. Venegas, L. Ray
Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 2021

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APA   Click to copy
Grodin, E., Burnette, E., Towns, B., Venegas, A., & Ray, L. (2021). Effect of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis co-use on gray matter volume in heavy drinkers. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors.


Chicago/Turabian   Click to copy
Grodin, E., E. Burnette, Brandon Towns, A. Venegas, and L. Ray. “Effect of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Co-Use on Gray Matter Volume in Heavy Drinkers.” Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors (2021).


MLA   Click to copy
Grodin, E., et al. “Effect of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Co-Use on Gray Matter Volume in Heavy Drinkers.” Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, 2021.


BibTeX   Click to copy

@article{e2021a,
  title = {Effect of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis co-use on gray matter volume in heavy drinkers.},
  year = {2021},
  journal = {Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors},
  author = {Grodin, E. and Burnette, E. and Towns, Brandon and Venegas, A. and Ray, L.}
}

Abstract

OBJECTIVE Alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis are the three most frequently used drugs in the United States and co-use is common. Alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use has been separately associated with altered brain structure, and alcohol and tobacco co-use results in decreases in gray matter volume. Less is known about the effect of alcohol and cannabis co-use, and alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis tri-use. Therefore, this study examined the effect of co- and tri-use on gray matter volume, a measure of brain cell density, in heavy drinkers.

METHOD Heavy drinkers (n = 237; 152m/85f; age = 32.52; white = 111; black = 28; Latino = 9; American Indian = 2; Pacific Islander = 4; Asian = 59; mixed = 15; other = 9) were classified into four groups based on their alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use: alcohol only users (n = 70), alcohol and tobacco co-users (n = 90), alcohol and cannabis co-users (n = 35), and alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis tri-users (n = 42). All participants completed a structural MRI scan. Voxel-based morphometry was conducted to evaluate the effect of co-use on gray matter volume, with alcohol only users as the reference group. Age, sex, and scanner were included as covariates.

RESULTS Alcohol and tobacco co-users had significantly decreased left orbitofrontal gray matter volume relative to alcohol only users (Cohen's d = .79). There were no differences in gray matter volume between the alcohol only and alcohol and cannabis co-users, or between the alcohol only and tri-user groups.

CONCLUSION The additive effect of tobacco co-use on gray matter volumes in heavy drinkers was limited and localized. The effect of tri-use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis may have interacted, such that overlapping cannabis and tobacco use masked volume differences present in separate co-using groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).