Brain Function and Structure in Women With Stimulant Abuse and Psychopathic Traits Using MRI During Decision-Making Tasks in an Incarcerated Population

What this Trial Is About

This research investigates the brain differences related to stimulant abuse and psychopathic traits among incarcerated women, focusing on how these conditions affect moral decision-making. The study aims to understand sex differences in these neural processes and their links to relapse and antisocial behavior. This work builds on previous studies in men and addresses a significant gap in neurocognitive research among female offenders with substance use disorders. Participants will be grouped by their lifetime severity of stimulant use and levels of psychopathic traits. They will complete functional and anatomical MRI scans while performing simple and moral decision-making tasks using linguistic and picture-based stimuli. The study uses a mobile MRI scanner at a regional womens prison and applies advanced brain imaging techniques to analyze functional connectivity and brain structure. During the study, participants will undergo MRI scans and complete decision-making tasks. Researchers will collect longitudinal data every three months after release to monitor relapse and antisocial behavior. Outcomes measured include brain volume, white matter integrity, brain responses during tasks, and functional brain connectivity. The study duration extends up to five years post-release, aiming to predict behavioral outcomes based on neural data.

Neurocognitive Abnormalities in Stimulant Abuse Among High-Risk Women