title: Opioidergic activation in the medial pain system after heat pain.
abstract: Opioids modulate the affective component of pain and in vivo data indicate that opioids induce activation changes in the rostral ACC, insula and other brain areas. Hence, opioidergic release is to be expected in these brain regions following experimental pain stimulation. We examined healthy volunteers during heat pain and control subjects during rest using [18F]fluorodiprenorphine-PET. Pain stimulation led to significant reduction of diprenorphine binding in limbic and paralimbic brain areas including the rostral ACC and insula. The finding of altered opioidergic receptor availability in the rostral ACC after experimental nociceptive pain is novel and provides direct evidence for the involvement of this region in endogenous opioidergic inhibition of pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Germany. sprenger@lrz.tu-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sprenger
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valet
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boecker
authors.forename: Gjermund
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Henriksen
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Spilker
authors.forename: Frode
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Willoch
authors.forename: Klaus J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Hans J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wester
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Tölle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D004174:Diprenorphine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: C411951:6-O-(2-(18F)fluoroethyl)-6-O-desmethyldiprenorphine; D009294:Narcotics; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D004174:Diprenorphine