Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31365137›Full record

ArticleAlcoholism, clinical and experimental research2019

Associations Between Drinking and Cortical Thickness in Younger Adult Drinkers: Findings From the Human Connectome Project.

Vanessa L Morris, Max M Owens, Sabrina K Syan, Tashia D Petker, Lawrence H Sweet, Assaf Oshri, James MacKillop, Michael Amlung

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
27citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

27 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Classification of Alcohol Use Disorder With Explainable AI.Alcohol, clinical & experimental research · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Vanessa L MorrisPeter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-0077-428X
Max M OwensDepartment of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.
Sabrina K SyanPeter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Tashia D PetkerHomewood Health Centre, Guelph, ON, Canada.
Lawrence H SweetDepartment of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.
Assaf OshriCollege of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-5471-1591
James MacKillopPeter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-8695-1071
Michael AmlungPeter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Funding

Mapping the Human Connectome: Structure, Function, and HeritabilityU54MH091657 · NIMH · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI UGURBIL, KAMIL, VAN ESSEN, DAVID C · 2010 to 2014
$34.7M
Using Neuroeconomics to Understand Alcohol Overvaluation in Alcohol Use DisorderR01AA025911 · NIAAA · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · PI MACKILLOP, JAMES, SWEET, LAWRENCE H · 2018 to 2022
$1.3M
Intracortical Myelin as a Novel Neural Marker of Alcohol Use DisorderR21AA026392 · NIAAA · MCMASTER UNIVERSITY · PI AMLUNG, MICHAEL T. · 2018 to 2019
$282k
NIAAA NIH HHS R01 AA025911NIAAA NIH HHS R21 AA026392NIMH NIH HHS U54 MH091657
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrevious neuroimaging studies examining relations between alcohol misuse and cortical thickness have revealed that increased drinking quantity and alcohol-related problems are associated with thinner cortex. Although conflicting regional effects are often observed, associations are generally localized to frontal regions (e.g., dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [DLPFC], inferior frontal gyrus [IFG], and anterior cingulate cortex). Inconsistent findings may be attributed to methodological differences, modest sample sizes, and limited consideration of sex differences.

methodsThis study examined neuroanatomical correlates of drinking quantity and heavy episodic drinking in a large sample of younger adults (N = 706; M

resultsHierarchical linear regression models (controlling for age, sex, education, income, smoking, drug use, twin status, and intracranial volume) revealed significant inverse associations between drinks in past week and frequency of heavy drinking and cortical thickness in a majority of regions examined. The largest effect sizes were found for frontal regions (DLPFC, IFG, and the precentral gyrus). Follow-up regression models revealed that the left DLPFC was uniquely associated with both drinking variables. Sex differences were also observed, with significant effects largely specific to men.

conclusionsThis study adds to the understanding of brain correlates of alcohol use in a large, gender-balanced sample of younger adults. Although the cross-sectional methodology precludes causal inferences, these findings provide a foundation for rigorous hypothesis testing in future longitudinal investigations.

Indexed as

AdultBinge DrinkingCentral Nervous System DepressantsCerebral CortexConnectomeEthanolExecutive FunctionFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMemory, Short-TermSex CharacteristicsYoung AdultCentral Nervous System DepressantsEthanolAlcoholCortical ThicknessDorsolateral Prefrontal CortexHeavy DrinkingHuman Connectome ProjectNeuroanatomy

Identifiers

PMID31365137
PMCPMC6721970

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.