Our analysis indicated that changes of dopamine receptors and transporters are moderated by the duration of abstinence .
Our analysis provides strong evidence for a central role of the striatal dopamine system in use of alcohol or opioids .
Use of alcohol , cannabis and opioids is highly prevalent and is associated with global disease burden and high economic costs .
The exact pathophysiology of abuse or addiction associated with these sedative substances is not completely understood , but previous research implicates the important role of the striatal dopamine system in the addiction process .
Multiple studies investigated changes in the striatal dopamine systems of users of sedative substances , but currently these results are very heterogeneous .
Therefore , we conducted a meta- analysis of in vivo neuroimaging studies investigating dopaminergic alterations in the striatum of users of alcohol , opioids or cannabis .
Deficits in Dopamine D2 Receptors and Presynaptic Dopamine in Heroin Dependence: Commonalities and Differences with Other Types of Addiction
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 D(2/3 ) 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 [(11)C]raclopride before and after stimulant administration ( methylpheni date ) to measure striatal D(2/3 ) receptor binding and presynaptic dopamine release . After the PET scans , the heroin-dependent subjects performed heroin self-administration sessions . RESULTS Both striatal D(2/3 ) 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 D(2/3 ) receptor binding and low presynaptic dopamine . However , neither of these outcome measures was associated with the choice to self-administer heroin
Our analysis indicated that changes of dopamine receptors and transporters are moderated by the duration of abstinence .
Our analysis provides strong evidence for a central role of the striatal dopamine system in use of alcohol or opioids .
Use of alcohol , cannabis and opioids is highly prevalent and is associated with global disease burden and high economic costs .
The exact pathophysiology of abuse or addiction associated with these sedative substances is not completely understood , but previous research implicates the important role of the striatal dopamine system in the addiction process .
Multiple studies investigated changes in the striatal dopamine systems of users of sedative substances , but currently these results are very heterogeneous .
Therefore , we conducted a meta- analysis of in vivo neuroimaging studies investigating dopaminergic alterations in the striatum of users of alcohol , opioids or cannabis .