Mattia Veronese

2 papers in the library · 79 citations · publishing 2019-2021

Papers

Receptor-Enriched Analysis of functional connectivity by targets (REACT): A novel, multimodal analytical approach informed by PET to study the pharmacodynamic response of the brain under MDMA

NeuroImage April 4, 2019 Ottavia Dipasquale, Pierluigi Selvaggi, Mattia Veronese et al. 79 citations

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study combined resting-state fMRI with a molecular atlas of serotonin receptors to examine how MDMA alters functional connectivity. Using the REACT method, the researchers found that MDMA-induced connectivity changes were specifically linked to brain regions rich in the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and the 5-HT1A receptor, the drug's primary targets. Changes in 5-HT1A-enriched maps correlated with MDMA blood levels, while changes in 5-HT2A-enriched maps correlated with spiritual experiences reported by participants. The approach shows that MDMA's effects on brain connectivity can be explained by the distribution of its serotonergic targets, offering a new way to characterize psychoactive compounds.

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.04.007 MDMA Serotonergic Serotonin transporter Psychology +4

Task-independent acute effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on human brain function and its relationship with cannabinoid receptor gene expression: a neuroimaging meta-regression analysis

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) November 3, 2021 Brandon Gunasekera, Cathy Davies, Grace Blest‐hopley et al. preprint

A single dose of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alters brain activation signals in a widespread network of regions, with some areas showing increased and others decreased activity. The magnitude of these changes is directly related to the local expression of the cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptor, but not the type-2 (CB2) receptor. THC increased activation in the anterior cingulate, superior frontal cortices, middle temporal and occipital gyri, striatum, amygdala, thalamus, and cerebellum crus II, while decreasing it in the middle temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, angular gyrus, precuneus, cuneus, inferior parietal lobule, and cerebellum lobule IV/V. A dose-response relationship was observed in certain brain regions.

DOI: 10.1101/2021.11.01.466757 Full text Precuneus Neuroscience Human brain Middle temporal gyrus +9