Qiang Li, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Wei Wang MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jie Tian PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yarong Wang, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Wei Chuan Yang MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Wei Li, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jia Zhu, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Wei Qin, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Liyan Zhao, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kai Yuan, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

We applied functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the subjective craving and brain response to heroin-related cues in heroin-dependent males. We also try to seek how the heroin-related cues impact the addicts, localize the heroin craving related brain regions, and try to supplement on the theory of the cerebral responses to the heroin cues.

Sixteen heroin-dependent subjects and 15 demographically matched healthy controls completed an event-related fMRI task including heroin-related and neutral cues. The  fMRI data were acquired by a 3T MRI system and preprocessed and statistically analyzed by the Matlab 7.5, SPM5 software package. Self-reported craving scores were collected before and after the task. For the heroin-dependent subjects, correlation analyses were performed on craving changes and the difference in fMRI responses between heroin-related and neutral images for each region of interest (ROI) which was determined by the comparison between heroin addicts and healthy controls under the condition (heroin-related vs. neutral cues). Correlation analyses between characteristics of heroin use (the daily heroin dose, the total amount of heroin used and heroin history) and the difference in fMRI response between heroin-related and neutral images for each ROI were also performed.

Direct comparison between the two groups showed that brain activation to heroin-related minus neutral cues was significantly greater for heroin group in the bilateral nucleus accumbens, subcallosal gyrus, caudate, putamen, medial dorsal thalamus, periaqueductal gray, medial frontal cortex, superior frontal gyros, inferior frontal gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex(ACC) and left hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex. No greater activation was found in the control group compared with heroin group. The total heroin duration was respectively negatively correlated with the activation of left ACC and amygdala.  

We have further approved that the prefrontal, mesocorticolimbic regions and thalamus play an important role in visual heroin-related cue induced reactivity in heroin addicts and long-term heroin use impair the brain regions implicated in cognitive control and affective processes.

fMRI is non-invasive and useful for investigation of heroin dependence and it may provide deep insight into the mechanism of heroin dependence for people.

Li, Q, Wang, W, Tian, J, Wang, Y, Yang, W, Li, W, Zhu, J, Qin, W, Zhao, L, Yuan, K, Brain Response and Self-reported Craving to Heroin-related Cues in Heroin-dependent Males: An Event-related fMRI Study.  Radiological Society of North America 2011 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 2, 2011 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2011/11011877.html