|
Keywords
|
abstinence, craving, functional magnetic resonance
imaging, heroin, methadone
|
|
Abstract
|
Objective: Abstinence-based therapy (ABT) and methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) are common methods of treatment in heroin
dependence as both suppress subjective feeling of drug craving. However, it is not clear whether the neural basis of craving suppression is
similar in both types of treatments. In this study, we compared brain
activation during pictorial presentation of heroin-related cues in ABT
and MMT groups to understand the neural basis of drug craving in
these groups.
Methods: Three groups of subjects (successful ABT and MMT
clients and healthy control) underwent functional magnetic resonance
imaging, while heroin-related cues and neutral cues were presented to
them. In addition, subjective cue-elicited craving has been measured
using drug drive questionnaire before and after imaging.
Result: Self-report of craving was not different between ABT and
MMT groups before and after scanning. Anterior cingulate cortex
and inferior frontal gyrus showed higher activations in ABT than in
healthy control. Inferior frontal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus
showed higher activity in ABT than in MMT. Lingual gyrus and
cerebellum showed higher activity in MMT than in healthy control.
Conclusions: Heroin avoidance may be achieved by MMT or ABT;
however, the neural mechanism underlying these therapeutic methods
differs
|