BACKGROUND: Cocaine treatment upregulates brain mu-opioid receptors (mOR) in animals. Human data regarding this phenomenon are limited. We previously used positron emission tomography (PET) with [11C]-carfentanil to show increased mOR binding in brain regions of 10 cocaine-dependent men after 1 and 28 days of abstinence. METHODS: Regional brain mOR binding potential (BP) was measured with [11C]carfentanil PET scanning in 17 cocaine users over 12 weeks of abstinence on a research ward and in 16 healthy control subjects. RESULTS: Mu-opioid receptor BP was increased in the frontal, anterior cingulate, and lateral temporal cortex after 1 day of abstinence. Mu-opioid receptor BP remained elevated in the first two regions after 1 week and in the anterior cingulate and anterior frontal cortex after 12 weeks. Increased binding in some regions at 1 day and 1 week was positively correlated with self-reported cocaine craving. Mu-opioid receptor BP was significantly correlated with percentage of days with cocaine use and amount of cocaine used per day of use during the 2 weeks before admission and with urine benzoylecgonine concentration at the first PET scan. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that chronic cocaine use influences endogenous opioid systems in the human brain and might explain mechanisms of cocaine craving and reinforcement.
BACKGROUND:Cocaine treatment upregulates brain mu-opioid receptors (mOR) in animals. Human data regarding this phenomenon are limited. We previously used positron emission tomography (PET) with [11C]-carfentanil to show increased mOR binding in brain regions of 10 cocaine-dependent men after 1 and 28 days of abstinence. METHODS: Regional brain mOR binding potential (BP) was measured with [11C]carfentanil PET scanning in 17 cocaine users over 12 weeks of abstinence on a research ward and in 16 healthy control subjects. RESULTS: Mu-opioid receptor BP was increased in the frontal, anterior cingulate, and lateral temporal cortex after 1 day of abstinence. Mu-opioid receptor BP remained elevated in the first two regions after 1 week and in the anterior cingulate and anterior frontal cortex after 12 weeks. Increased binding in some regions at 1 day and 1 week was positively correlated with self-reported cocaine craving. Mu-opioid receptor BP was significantly correlated with percentage of days with cocaine use and amount of cocaine used per day of use during the 2 weeks before admission and with urine benzoylecgonine concentration at the first PET scan. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that chronic cocaine use influences endogenous opioid systems in the human brain and might explain mechanisms of cocaine craving and reinforcement.
Authors: Tomi Karjalainen; Lauri Tuominen; Sandra Manninen; Kari K Kalliokoski; Pirjo Nuutila; Iiro P Jääskeläinen; Riitta Hari; Mikko Sams; Lauri Nummenmaa Journal: Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci Date: 2016-04-06 Impact factor: 3.436
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Authors: Paul Crits-Christoph; Andrew Newberg; Nancy Wintering; Karl Ploessl; Mary Beth Connolly Gibbons; Sarah Ring-Kurtz; Robert Gallop; Julie Present Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2008-06-20 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Huiping Zhang; Joel Gelernter; Jeffrey R Gruen; Henry R Kranzler; Aryeh I Herman; Arthur A Simen Journal: J Hum Genet Date: 2010-03-19 Impact factor: 3.172