Abstract
Although opioid receptor function in humans is clearly reduced during opioid dependence, what happens to the receptor in early abstinence is not understood. This study sought to examine changes in opioid receptor availability in early abstinence from opioid dependence. Ten people with opioid dependence who had completed in-patient detoxification and 20 healthy controls underwent [11C]-diprenorphine positron emission tomography. Clinical variables were assessed with structured questionnaires. Opioid receptor binding was characterised as the volume of distribution of [11C]-diprenorphine using a template of predefined brain volumes and an exploratory voxel-by-voxel analysis. Compared with controls, participants with opioid dependence had increased [11C]-diprenorphine binding in the whole brain and in 15 of the 21 a priori regions studied. This study suggests that opioid receptor binding is increased throughout the brain in early abstinence from dependent opioid use. These data complement the findings in cocaine and alcohol dependence.
Published Version (Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.