SynthesisBrain imaging and behavior2026
Effect of addiction on brain glucose metabolism assessed by PET/CT molecular imaging: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Brain imaging and behavior, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Examining Age as Moderating Associations Between Methamphetamine Abstinence and Cognitive Function in People with HIV.Viruses · 2026Article
- From Neuroadaptation to Neuroprogression: Rethinking Chronic Cocaine Exposure Through a Model of Cocaine-Related Cerebropathy.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Brain glucose metabolism, as measured by 18F-FDG PET/CT, reflects regional brain function and activity. Substance addiction has been shown to disrupt this metabolic activity, even though the affected brain regions and extent of disruption vary by substance and stage of addiction. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of substance use and dependence on cerebral glucose metabolism rate (CMRglc) measured by 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging, regardless of study design or subject conditions. A systematic search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to identify eligible human studies that used 18F-FDG PET in individuals with substance dependence. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model, reporting Hedges’ g with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Out of 385 records, ten studies met the inclusion criteria, covering substances such as nicotine, morphine, ethanol, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana, and seven were eligible for meta-analysis. Addiction was consistently associated with hypometabolism in the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and thalamus, which are areas involved in reward, cognition and emotion regulation. Meta-analysis revealed a significant reduction in CMRglc overall (g = 0.92; 95% CI: − 1.27 to -0.57). Heterogeneity was moderate to high (I2 = 70.43%, p = 0.002). Addiction leads to glucose hypometabolism in brain regions across different stages, whether during active use, withdrawal, or prolonged abstinence, regardless of the substance involved. 18F-FDG PET serves as a valuable molecular imaging tool to detect these brain changes and has great potential for monitoring recovery progress, understanding the withdrawal process, and evaluating treatment response.
Indexed as
Identifiers
41826602What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.