Brain fMRI and craving response to heroin-related cues in patients on methadone maintenance treatment

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.