Rich club and reward network connectivity as endophenotypes for alcohol dependence: a diffusion tensor imaging study

Abstract

We aimed to examine the whole-brain white matter connectivity and local topology of reward system nodes in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and unaffected siblings, relative to healthy comparison individuals. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired from 18 patients with AUD, 15 unaffected siblings of AUD patients and 15 healthy controls. Structural networks were examined using network-based statistic and connectomic analysis. Connectomic analysis showed a significant ordered difference in normalized rich club organization (AUD < Siblings  Sibling > AUD) for both nodal clustering coefficient and nodal local efficiency in reward system nodes, particularly left..