Background
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies have shown that addiction to a
number of substances of abuse is associated with a decrease in dopamine D2/3 receptor binding and decreased presynaptic dopamine release in the striatum. Some
studies have also shown that these reductions are associated with the severity of
addiction. For example, in cocaine dependence, low dopamine release is associated
with the choice to self-administer cocaine. The goal of the present study was to investigate
these parameters of striatal dopamine transmission in heroin dependence and their
association with drug seeking behavior.
Methods
Heroin-dependent and healthy control subjects were scanned with [11C]raclopride before and after stimulant administration (methylphenidate) to measure
striatal D2/3 receptor binding and presynaptic dopamine release. After the PET scans, the heroin-dependent
subjects performed heroin self-administration sessions.
Results
Both striatal D2/3 receptor binding and dopamine release were reduced in the heroin-dependent subjects
compared with healthy control subjects. However, neither PET measure of dopamine transmission
predicted the choice to self-administer heroin.
Conclusions
These findings show that heroin addiction, like addiction to other drugs of abuse,
is associated with low D2/3 receptor binding and low presynaptic dopamine. However, neither of these outcome
measures was associated with the choice to self-administer heroin.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 20, 2011
Accepted:
August 15,
2011
Received in revised form:
July 27,
2011
Received:
April 29,
2011
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
