Brain anatomical covariation patterns linked to binge drinking and age at first full drink

Binge drinking and age at first full drink (AFD) of alcohol prior to 21 years (AFD < 21) have been linked neuroanatomical differences in cortical subcortical grey matter (GM) volume, thickness, surface area. Despite the importance understanding network-level relationships, structural covariation patterns among these morphological measures yet be examined relation binge AFD 21. Here, we used Joint Individual Variance Explained (JIVE) method characterize common across specific 293 participants (149 individuals with past-12-month 144 healthy controls) from Human Connectome Project (HCP). An independent dataset (Nathan Kline Institute Rockland Sample; NKI-RS) was examine reproducibility/generalizability. We identified a reproducible joint component dominated by between GM volume brainstem thalamus proper, area prefrontal regions. Using linear mixed regression models, found that showed lower scores both HCP (beta = 0.059, p-value 0.016; Cohen’s d 0.441) NKI-RS 0.023, 0.040, 0.216) datasets, whereas individual thickness associated (p-value 0.02) 0.001) not statistically significant sample. Our findings were also generalizable sample (n 880 participants). Taken together, our results show use JIVE analysis high-dimensional, large-scale, psychiatry-related datasets led discovery pattern involving brain regions relevant thalamic-PFC-brainstem neural circuitry which is related suggests possible extension existing addiction neurocircuitry humans.