Abstract
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.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Brain Chemistry / drug effects*
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Brain Stem / cytology
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Brain Stem / drug effects*
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Brain Stem / physiology
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Heroin / administration & dosage
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Heroin Dependence / diagnostic imaging
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Heroin Dependence / physiopathology*
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Humans
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Interneurons / chemistry
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Interneurons / drug effects
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Interneurons / physiology
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Male
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Mesencephalon / cytology
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Mesencephalon / drug effects
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Mesencephalon / physiology
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Narcotics / administration & dosage
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Neural Pathways
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Pain Measurement
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Parietal Lobe / cytology
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Parietal Lobe / drug effects
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Parietal Lobe / physiology
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Photic Stimulation
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Reward*
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Tomography, Emission-Computed
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gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / physiology
Substances
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Narcotics
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gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
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Heroin