Figure 1. Cocaine Reduces Brain Activity During Learning and Memory Tasks Cocaine-exposed and control monkeys both showed high activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) during reverse-learning and set-shifting tasks. However, the cocaine-exposed monkeys showed significantly attenuated activity in the superior frontal gyrus, anterior and posterior cingulate gyrus, and precuneus. The researchers speculate that the cocaine-exposed monkeys received information normally in the OFC, but had trouble processing that information to other parts of the brain. Roll your mouse over the red areas in the PET image to read more about cognitive functions for each brain region. The scale at lower right shows metabolic activity in regions of the brain, measured by the uptake of a radioactive label. The highest activity is shown in yellow or white.
Figure 1
PET scans of cocaine naïve and cocaine exposed rat brains show the location of metabolic activity in the brain. Areas of activity in the PET scan show in red, or in grayscale as darker grey areas bordered in black. Side views of the brain are shown. The graphic has a rollover feature so when the mouse rolls over an affected brain area, a box pops up that gives the function of that region of the brain.
Cocaine naïve rat brains showed higher activity on the PET with five areas of the brain affected. The precuneus is located midway between the center of the brain, and the back of the brain, and midway vertically within the brain. The function of this area of the brain is memory, visuospatial processing, and self-awareness. The second area, the posterior cingulate gyrus, is located above the center of the brain, situated midway front to back. This area of the brain is involved in self-awareness and working memory. The third area in the brain showing activity, including the anterior cingulate gyrus and the superior frontal gyrus, beside, but slightly below, it is located just forward of the posterior cingulate gyrus. The anterior cingulate gyrus has cognitive functions related to attention and motivation and emotional regulation. The superior frontal gyrus has higher cognitive and working memory roles. A second smaller area in the anterior cingulate gyrus further forward shows activity as well. The final area with metabolic activity is the orbital prefrontal cortex, located in the front of the brain. Its functions include decision-making, particularly evaluation of reward and punishment.
In the cocaine-exposed brain, only two areas showed activity on the PET scan, and each area was smaller than the corresponding region in the cocaine naïve rat brains. The two areas were the posterior cingulate gyrus and the orbital prefrontal cortex.
Go Back To: Study Pinpoints Cognitive Deficits Due to Cocaine, Finds Potential for Recovery
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