title: Mu-opioid receptor binding measured by [11C]carfentanil positron emission tomography is related to craving and mood in alcohol dependence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The endogenous opioid system has been linked to alcohol dependence through animal and human studies. We investigated the relationship between alcohol craving and brain mu opioid receptors (mu-OR) in alcohol-dependent subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Regional brain mu-OR binding potential (BP) was measured using [(11)C]carfentanil positron emission tomography in eight male alcohol-dependent subjects undergoing alcohol withdrawal and eight matched control subjects. Self-reported alcohol craving, withdrawal, and mood were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lower mu-OR BP was associated with higher craving in the right dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, the right anterior frontal cortex, and right parietal cortex. In these regions, alcoholics showed lower mean mu-OR BP compared with control subjects. Mu-OR BP in four other brain regions also correlated with craving, but there were no group differences in receptor binding potential. Mu-OR BP also correlated with depressive symptoms in five brain regions, three of which were identified in the craving analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results show a strong functional relationship between alcohol craving, mood, and mu-OR binding in specific brain regions of recently abstinent, alcohol-dependent men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 601 N. Caroline Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Badreddine
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bencherif
authors.forename: Gary S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Wand
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McCaul
authors.forename: Yu Kyeong
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Nese
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ilgin
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Dannals
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Frost
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000378:metabolism*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; C017114:carfentanil; D005283:Fentanyl