35. Investigating Endocannabinoid Metabolism in Opioid Treated Chronic Pain Patients With and Without Opioid Use Disorder: A PET Study With Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Radioligand [C-11]CURB

Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the anandamide-catabolizing enzyme, is a key determinant of endocannabinoid metabolism. Preclinical and clinical findings suggest reduced FAAH is associated with altered addiction risks and pain sensitivity. In our recent positron emission tomography (PET) studies with FAAH radiotracer [11C]CURB, reduced FAAH was implicated in cannabis and alcohol use disorder. However, the status of FAAH in opioid use disorder (OUD) remains unknown. The present study aims to determine whether FAAH levels are lower in chronic pain patients with OUD (OUD+) compared to opioid exposed patients (OUD-) and healthy control (HC).
Source: Biological Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Source Type: research