Objective: To explore the alterations of cerebral cortical thickness in severe nicotine addicts by using surface-based morphology (SBM) method and further analyzing the association of these changes with smoking-related characteristics. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from August 2014 to August 2019 from severe nicotine addicts [aged 25 to 52(38±8)years] and 56 non-smokers healthy volunteers [aged 22 to 51(36±8)years]. All subjects underwent 3.0 T magnetic resonance scans, and FreeSurfer software was used to analyze the difference in cortical thickness between the two groups, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between the nicotine dependence group and smoking-related characteristics. Results: Compared to control group, the severe nicotine dependence group had a significant reduction in the cortical thickness in 9 areas of the brain, the left cerebral cortex, including: middletemporal, precentral, superiorfrontal, insula [(2.78±0.10) mm vs (2.92±0.17) mm, (2.57±0.15) mm vs (2.70±0.14) mm, (2.63±0.18) mm vs (2.76±0.15) mm, (3.01±0.10) mm vs (3.13±0.13) mm, all P<0.01, respectively], and the right cerebral cortex including: temporalpole, rostralmiddlefrontal, superiorfrontal, postcentral, parsopercularis [(3.12±0.14) mm vs (3.26±0.19) mm, (2.71±0.16) mm vs (2.87±0.18) mm, (2.96±0.15) mm vs (3.10±0.20) mm, (2.57±0.15) mm vs (2.71±0.15) mm, (2.54±0.11) mm vs (2.65±0.15) mm, all P<0.05, respectively]. The cortical thickness of left insular was positively correlated with the initial smoking age (r=0.403,P=0.009), while the cortical thickness of the other brain regions had no significant correlation with smoking-related characteristics (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Significant alterations were observed in cortical thickness in severe nicotine addicts, and there is a correlation between the thickness of the left insular cortex and the age of initial smoking.
目的： 探讨基于表面形态学方法分析重度尼古丁依赖者各脑区皮质厚度的改变，并进一步研究与吸烟相关特征的相关性。 方法： 回顾性收集2014年8月至2019年8月41名重度尼古丁依赖者［年龄25~52（38±8）岁］和56名不吸烟的志愿者［年龄22~51（36±8）岁］的资料。所有受试者均行3.0 T MRI扫描，应用FreeSurfer软件分析两组间皮质厚度差异，并采用Pearson相关分析探讨重度尼古丁依赖组与吸烟相关特征的相关性。 结果： 与对照组对比，重度尼古丁依赖组在大脑9个区域皮质厚度降低，其中左侧大脑皮质包括：颞中、中央前、额上及脑岛皮质［（2.78±0.10）比（2.92±0.17）mm、（2.57±0.15）比（2.70±0.14）mm、（2.63±0.18）比（2.76±0.15）mm、（3.01±0.10）比（3.13±0.13）mm］（均P<0.01），右侧大脑皮质包括：颞极、额中前端、额上、中央后、额下岛盖部皮质［（3.12±0.14）mm比（3.26±0.19）mm、（2.71±0.16）mm比（2.87±0.18）mm、（2.96±0.15）mm比（3.10±0.20）mm、（2.57±0.15）mm比（2.71±0.15）mm、（2.54±0.11）mm比（2.65±0.15）mm］（均P<0.05）。左侧脑岛皮质厚度与初始吸烟年龄呈正相关（r=0.403，P=0.009），其余脑区皮质厚度与吸烟相关特征相关性无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。 结论： 重度尼古丁依赖者的皮质厚度有明显变化，且左侧脑岛皮质厚度与初始吸烟年龄存在相关性。.