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September 2, 2026Psychiatry and Clinical NeurosciencesOpen Access

Blood Neurofilament Light Chain as a Biomarker of Central Network Dysregulation in Methamphetamine Use Disorder: A Multi‐Modal Investigation with Clinical Implications

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Authors

SWShyh‐Yuh WeiYLYu‐Li LiuHTHuai‐Hsuan Tseng

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Overview

Observational study reveals elevated blood neurofilament light chain tracks salience-network disruption in methamphetamine use disorder, indicating its potential as a relapse biomarker.

Key Points

  • Evaluate blood neurofilament light chain and C-reactive protein as non-invasive biomarkers of central neural network disruption and clinical relapse in methamphetamine use disorder.
  • Assessed 42 male patients with methamphetamine use disorder and 44 male healthy controls using diffusion MRI and resting-state functional MRI alongside blood assays for NfL and CRP.
  • Tracked patients prospectively across a one-year follow-up period to measure urine drug positivity rates.
  • Patients with methamphetamine use disorder exhibited significantly elevated blood NfL and CRP levels, accompanied by salience-network dysfunction and microstructural damage compared to controls.
  • Higher NfL levels significantly correlated with lower local efficiency in the right anterior insula and increased mean diffusivity in the right insula and supramarginal gyrus, even after controlling for duration of methamphetamine use.
  • Baseline blood NfL concentrations were significantly correlated with higher urine drug positivity rates during the one-year follow-up period.

Cite This Study

Wei et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a97e2eac562ede874ec74c4https://doi.org/10.1111/pcn.70122
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Elevated Levels of Blood Neurofilament Light Chain in Substance‐Using Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis2026
  2. 2The mediating role of trait impulsivity in the relation between cue-induced craving and functional connectivity within the salience network among abstinent patients with methamphetamine use disorder2024 · 7 citations
  3. 3Plasma Neurofilament Light Relates to Divergent Default and Salience Network Connectivity in Alzheimer’s Disease and Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia2024 · 6 citations
  4. 4Extensive frontal cortex abnormalities and cognitive impairment in methamphetamine use disorder: a comprehensive 3T structural MRI analysis2026
  5. 5Neurostructural alterations, trait impulsivity, and genetic architecture in individuals with methamphetamine dependence: a multimodal imaging-genetics study2026