Neurocognitive Abnormalities in Stimulant Abuse Among High-Risk Women

NCT05845333 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 15050
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 334
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Substance use disorders and psychopathy are serious and costly mental health issues. Psychopathy is known to be associated with aberrant moral decision making and there is considerable interest in determining whether substance use disorders lead to impairments in these same cognitive processes. Recent large-scale research initiatives in forensic settings have begun to identify substance abuse and psychopathy-related disruption in the neural mechanisms involved in moral decision-making processes, and associations between these neural networks and future relapse and antisocial behavior. Here the investigators extend prior work (with incarcerated men) to examine these issues among incarcerated women in order to better understand sex differences. This project addresses the overall lack of neurocognitive research in criminal offenders with substance use disorders, thereby focusing on a major public health issue in an underserved and understudied population.

Conditions

Stimulant Abuse; Criminal Behavior

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (22)

• Gray matter volume during MRI scan & stimulant use

  Gray matter volume (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - Statistical Parametric Mapping/SPM) correlation with stimulant use (assessed using a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index)

  During MRI procedure

• White matter integrity during MRI scan & stimulant use

  White matter integrity (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain software library (FSL)) correlation with stimulant use (assessed using a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional brain response during MRI scan & stimulant use during simple linguistic decision task

  Functional brain responses (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent/BOLD) (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - SPM, Group Independent Components Analysis Functional Toolbox/GIFT) during Simple Linguistic Decision Task correlation with stimulant use (assessed using a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional brain response during MRI scan & stimulant use during simple picture decision task

  Functional brain responses (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent/BOLD) (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - SPM, Group Independent Components Analysis Functional Toolbox/GIFT) during Simple Picture Decision Task correlation with stimulant use (assessed using a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional brain response during MRI scan & stimulant use during moral linguistic decision task

  Functional brain responses (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent/BOLD) (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - SPM, Group Independent Components Analysis Functional Toolbox/GIFT) during Moral Linguistic Decision Task correlation with stimulant use (assessed using a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional brain response during MRI scan & stimulant use during moral picture decision task

  Functional brain responses (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent/BOLD) (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - SPM, Group Independent Components Analysis Functional Toolbox/GIFT) during Moral Picture Decision Task correlation with stimulant use (assessed using a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional connectivity during MRI scan & stimulant use during simple linguistic decision task

  Functional connectivity (using relevant analysis MRI platforms - GIFT) during Simple Linguistic Decision Task correlation with stimulant use (assessed using a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional connectivity during MRI scan & stimulant use during simple picture decision task

  Functional connectivity (using relevant analysis MRI platforms - GIFT) during Simple Linguistic Decision Task correlation with stimulant use (assessed using a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional connectivity during MRI scan & stimulant use during moral linguistic decision task

  Functional connectivity (using relevant analysis MRI platforms - GIFT) during Moral Linguistic Decision Task correlation with stimulant use (assessed using a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional connectivity during MRI scan & stimulant use during moral picture decision task

  Functional connectivity (using relevant analysis MRI platforms - GIFT) during Moral Picture Decision Task correlation with stimulant use (assessed using a modified version of the Addiction Severity Index)

  During MRI procedure

• Gray matter volume during MRI scan & psychopathic traits

  Gray matter volume (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - Statistical Parametric Mapping/SPM) correlation with psychopathic traits (assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised)

  During MRI procedure

• White matter integrity during MRI scan & psychopathic traits

  White matter integrity (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain software library (FSL)) correlation with psychopathic traits (assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional brain response during MRI scan & psychopathic traits during simple linguistic decision task

  Functional brain responses (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent/BOLD) (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - SPM, Group Independent Components Analysis Functional Toolbox/GIFT) during Simple Linguistic Decision Task correlation with psychopathic traits (assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional brain response during MRI scan & psychopathic traits during simple picture decision task

  Functional brain responses (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent/BOLD) (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - SPM, Group Independent Components Analysis Functional Toolbox/GIFT) during Simple Picture Decision Task correlation with psychopathic traits (assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional brain response during MRI scan & psychopathic traits during moral linguistic decision task

  Functional brain responses (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent/BOLD) (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - SPM, Group Independent Components Analysis Functional Toolbox/GIFT) during Moral Linguistic Decision Task correlation with psychopathic traits (assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional brain response during MRI scan & psychopathic traits during moral picture decision task

  Functional brain responses (Blood Oxygen Level Dependent/BOLD) (using relevant MRI analysis platforms - SPM, Group Independent Components Analysis Functional Toolbox/GIFT) during Moral Picture Decision Task correlation with psychopathic traits (assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional connectivity during MRI scan & psychopathic traits during simple linguistic decision task

  Functional connectivity (using relevant analysis MRI platforms - GIFT) during Simple Linguistic Decision Task correlation with psychopathic traits (assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional connectivity during MRI scan & psychopathic traits during simple picture decision task

  Functional connectivity (using relevant analysis MRI platforms - GIFT)) during Simple Picture Decision Task correlation with psychopathic traits (assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional connectivity during MRI scan & psychopathic traits during moral linguistic decision task

  Functional connectivity (using relevant analysis MRI platforms - GIFT) during Moral Linguistic Decision Task correlation with psychopathic traits (assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised)

  During MRI procedure

• Functional connectivity during MRI scan & psychopathic traits during moral picture decision task

  Functional connectivity (using relevant analysis MRI platforms - GIFT) during Moral Picture Decision Task correlation with psychopathic traits (assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised)

  During MRI procedure

• Relapse to/change in stimulant use post-release

  Return to stimulant use (assessed using timeline follow back calendar (TLFB)) post-release from incarceration

  Every 3 months post release for duration of grant (5 years)

• Return to/change in antisocial behavior post-release

  Return to antisocial behavior (assessed via self report and/or official records) post-release from incarceration

  Every 3 months post release for duration of grant (5 years)

Study Arms (7)

Stimulant Use Severity High

Other: Decision task

Stimulant Use Severity Medium

Other: Decision task

Stimulant Use Severity Low

Other: Decision task

Psychopathic Traits High

Other: Decision task

Psychopathic Traits Medium

Other: Decision task

Psychopathic Traits Low

Other: Decision task

Community (Healthy) Controls

Other: Decision task

Interventions

Decision task OTHER

Participants will complete a simple and/or moral decision making functional MRI task.

Community (Healthy) Controls; Psychopathic Traits High; Psychopathic Traits Low; Psychopathic Traits Medium; Stimulant Use Severity High; Stimulant Use Severity Low; Stimulant Use Severity Medium

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Incarcerated and non-incarcerated adult women

You may qualify if:

• Biological sex is female
• Intelligence Quotient 70 or higher
• Reading level 5th grade or higher
• Able to speak and understand English

You may not qualify if:

• Uncorrectable auditory or visual deficits
• Currently pregnant
• MRI contraindication
• Central nervous system disease
• Current major medical condition
• Hypertension with complications (e.g., stroke)
• Diabetes with complications
• Lifetime history of psychotic disorder
• Self-report of psychotic disorder (with psychiatric hospitalization) in first degree relative
• Drug use in past three months
• (Healthy controls only):
• History of arrest
• Substance use beyond light alcohol or marijuana use
• Currently taking psychotropic medications

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Mind Research Network: lead

Study Sites (1)

The Mind Research Network

Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Criminal Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Carla Harenski

CONTACT

505-272-5028; charenski@mrn.org

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CONTROL
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience and Law, Executive Science Officer

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 7, 2023
• First Posted: May 6, 2023
• Study Start: August 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2027
• Last Updated: May 8, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Locations

US (1)