Designing Neuroimaging Studies to Help Inform the Clinical Treatment of Addiction

Positron emission tomography (PET) provides a unique window into the neurochemistry underlying addiction. Using PET, the field has been able to study neurotransmitter –receptor interactions in living individuals with drug use disorders in brain regions innervated by dopamine (DA). PET studies have consistently identified DA dysfunction in the striatum in drug and alcohol use disorders. There are lower levels of striatal D2/3 receptors (D2/3Rs) in individuals wi th cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, stimulant, and heroin use disorders compared with nonusing individuals.
Source: Biological Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Commentary Source Type: research