Imaging Mitochondrial Complex-I in Alcohol Use Disorder

This study uses [18F]BCPP-EF and [18F]FDG positron emission tomography (PET) to image mitochondrial complex I and cerebral glucose metabolism (CGM) in subjects with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and healthy controls (HC). Correlating PET outcome measures with relapse to alcohol in this study will clarify the mechanisms by which abnormal brain energetics modulate addictive behaviors.

Alcohol use disorders (AUD)

• Males or females between 18 and 55 years old
• fulfill DSM-5 criteria for alcohol use disorder
• History of NIAAA heavy drinking (for males, routinely consuming more than 4 drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks per week; for females, routinely consuming more than 3 drinks on any day or more than 7 drinks per week) in the past 30 days
• No other major DSM-5 psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, developmental disorders, or current depressive disorders (unless they are related to alcohol intoxication, withdrawal, or an alcohol- induced mood disorder).
• No other DSM-5 substance use disorders including opioids, cocaine, amphetamines, sedative-hypnotics, hallucinogens, and inhalants. Subjects with moderate and severe DSM-5 cannabis and tobacco use disorder will also be excluded;
• Subjects not currently on psychotropic or medical medications that can influence binding to MC-I (e.g., metformin) or CGM (e.g., insulin, GLP-1 agonists), or increase the risks associated with an arterial line (e.g., warfarin, clopidogrel, aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen, etc.).
• No medical disorders that can influence the PET outcome measures (for example, MC-I binding is altered in Parkinson's disease, mild or major neurocognitive disorders, and mitochondrial disorders; CGM is altered in diabetes, severe hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity), increase the risks associated with blood sampling (anemia), or placement of an arterial line (history of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis) for PET
• Not currently pregnant or breast-feeding
• Not currently employed as a radiation worker; or has participated in a radiation-related research protocol within the previous year such that the total cumulative annual radiation dose (i.e., from participation in the previous radioactive drug study [studies] and this study) would exceed the radiation dose limits specified in the FDA regulations (i.e., 21 CFR 361.1) that govern the research use of radiotracers
• No medical or psychiatric contraindications to undergo an MRI scan (such as ferromagnetic tattoos/piercings, implants, medical equipment, history of gunshot, and claustrophobia).

Healthy controls (HC)

• Males or females between 18 and 55 years old
• No current or past DSM-5 psychiatric or substance use disorders other than tobacco use disorder
• No history of heavy drinking as defined using NIAAA criteria in the past year
• 5 to 10 above.