title: Brain fMRI and craving response to heroin-related cues in patients on methadone maintenance treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the subjective craving and brain response to heroin-related cues in former heroin addicts on long-term methadone maintenance treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen participants completed an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging task including heroin-related and nonheroin-related (neutral) cues. Craving self-reports were collected before and after the task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although no significant craving changes were associated with the task, blood oxygen-level dependence intensity was significantly greater during exposure to heroin-related cues, compared to neutral cues in brain areas studied.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that the learned brain response of former heroin addicts to drug-related stimuli may persist despite long-term methadone maintenance treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China. m_d_Wang@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yarong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Weichuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Jixin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003463:Cues; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000379:methods; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D010100:Oxygen; D008691:Methadone