Activation of reward circuitry in human opiate addicts.
The neurobiological mechanisms of opiate addictive behaviour in humans are unknown. A proposed model of addiction implicates ascending brainstem neuromodulatory systems, particularly dopamine. Using functional neuroimaging, we assessed the neural response to heroin and heroin-related cues in established opiate addicts. We show that the effect of both heroin and heroin-related visual cues are maximally expressed in the sites of origin of ascending midbrain neuromodulatory systems. These context-specific midbrain activations predict responses to salient visual cues in cortical and subcortical regions implicated in reward-related behaviour. These findings implicate common neurobiological processes underlying drug and drug-cue-related effects.
Sell
L A
LA
National Addiction Centre, London SE5 8AF, London, UK.
Morris
J
J
Bearn
J
J
Frackowiak
R S
RS
Friston
K J
KJ
Dolan
R J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003932:Heroin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007395:Interneurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009434:Neural Pathways; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012201:Reward; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology
D009294:Narcotics; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D003932:Heroin