Table 1 |.

Alterations detected in specific brain regions of in vivo measures of gray matter volume and functional activity, associated with certain tasks and stimuli, in abstinent individuals with CUD.

Region / circuit	Morphology	Neural activity	Association with function- or task-based activation
Frontal cortex/prefrontal cortex	Decrease in volume (OFC)63,64,142	Decrease60,86,98,143 or increase90–92,97 in activity based on task and absinence85	Decreased in decision-making60; decreased activity with uncertain reward143; decreased during cognitive appraisal of emotional stimuli98; decreased activity on attention task85,86, but increased activity after 1 year of abstinence is associated with better treatment outcome85; increased activity on working memory tasks90–92 and responsivity to negative emotional stimuli97
Ventral striatum	* 79	Decrease85,# or increase in activity144, based on task and abstinence	Decreased activity on an attentional task85; increased activity during reward anticipation144
Dorsal striatum	* 79	Decrease in activity85,#	Decreased activity during attentional processing85
Hippocampus/temporal lobe	Decrease in volume63,66	Decrease in activity (hipp)85,#	Attentional processing85
Amygdala	Decrease in volume69,70,145	Decrease85,# or increase97 in activity based on task	Decreased functionality associated with attentional performance85, increased activation in response to negative emotional stimuli97
Cerebellum	Increase in volume63,69	Decrease86,# or increase60,# in activity based on task	Increased activation during decision-making60, decreased activity associated with attentional processing86
Mesocorticolimbic pathway		Increase in activity93,94,146,147	Cannabis cue reactivity93,94,146,147

The majority of individuals with CUD were studied during periods of short abstinence from ~12 h to 4–5 days.

^#,longer periods of abstinence, from ~1 to 36 months;

^*,inconsistent observations.