Objective: To investigate the subjective craving and brain response to heroin-related cues in former heroin addicts on long-term methadone maintenance treatment.
Methods: Fourteen participants completed an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging task including heroin-related and nonheroin-related (neutral) cues. Craving self-reports were collected before and after the task.
Results: Although no significant craving changes were associated with the task, blood oxygen-level dependence intensity was significantly greater during exposure to heroin-related cues, compared to neutral cues in brain areas studied.
Conclusions and scientific significance: The results indicate that the learned brain response of former heroin addicts to drug-related stimuli may persist despite long-term methadone maintenance treatment.
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