Meta-analysis of structural brain abnormalities associated with stimulant drug dependence and neuroimaging of addiction vulnerability and resilience

► Voxel-based meta-analysis of structural MRI studies in stimulant-dependent individuals. ► Stimulant drug dependence is associated with reduced gray matter in the prefrontal cortex. ► Prolonged abuse of stimulant drugs seems to exacerbate this neuropathology. ► Familial vulnerability for addiction has been shown to involve abnormalities in limbic-striatal structures (i.e., putamen, amygdala, and hippocampus).