Abstract
Objective: The limbic system plays a critical role in motivation, emotional expression, and memory. The authors investigated whether a state of permanent limbic neuronal hyperexcitability, or sensitization, is present in cocaine addicts as a consequence of repeated cocaine use. Method: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was used to compare the central nervous system response to the limbic stimulus procaine in 10 cocaine-dependent male patients and 10 healthy comparison male subjects. Results: The cocaine-addicted subjects demonstrated bilateral activation of the orbitofrontal cortex after the procaine challenge, whereas the comparison subjects showed activation of the anterior cingulate, bilateral insular, and right amygdalar regions. After receiving placebo, the cocaine-addicted subjects showed markedly lower rCBF in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex than the comparison subjects. Conclusions: The pattern of hypoperfusion in the placebo state followed by heightened activation with procaine in the cocaine-addicted subjects is similar to the pattern of interictal hypoperfusion and ictal hyperperfusion that has been observed in subjects with epilepsy. The findings for the cocaine-addicted subjects may thus represent evidence of localized (orbitofrontal) sensitization.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 390-398 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | American Journal of Psychiatry |
| Volume | 158 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2001 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
Cite this
Limbic resposiveness to procaine in cocaine-addicted subjects. / Adinoff, B.; Devous, M. D.; Best, S. M.; George, M. S.; Alexander, D.; Payne, K.
In: American Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 158, No. 3, 2001, p. 390-398.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Limbic resposiveness to procaine in cocaine-addicted subjects
AU - Adinoff, B.
AU - Devous, M. D.
AU - Best, S. M.
AU - George, M. S.
AU - Alexander, D.
AU - Payne, K.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Objective: The limbic system plays a critical role in motivation, emotional expression, and memory. The authors investigated whether a state of permanent limbic neuronal hyperexcitability, or sensitization, is present in cocaine addicts as a consequence of repeated cocaine use. Method: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was used to compare the central nervous system response to the limbic stimulus procaine in 10 cocaine-dependent male patients and 10 healthy comparison male subjects. Results: The cocaine-addicted subjects demonstrated bilateral activation of the orbitofrontal cortex after the procaine challenge, whereas the comparison subjects showed activation of the anterior cingulate, bilateral insular, and right amygdalar regions. After receiving placebo, the cocaine-addicted subjects showed markedly lower rCBF in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex than the comparison subjects. Conclusions: The pattern of hypoperfusion in the placebo state followed by heightened activation with procaine in the cocaine-addicted subjects is similar to the pattern of interictal hypoperfusion and ictal hyperperfusion that has been observed in subjects with epilepsy. The findings for the cocaine-addicted subjects may thus represent evidence of localized (orbitofrontal) sensitization.
AB - Objective: The limbic system plays a critical role in motivation, emotional expression, and memory. The authors investigated whether a state of permanent limbic neuronal hyperexcitability, or sensitization, is present in cocaine addicts as a consequence of repeated cocaine use. Method: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was used to compare the central nervous system response to the limbic stimulus procaine in 10 cocaine-dependent male patients and 10 healthy comparison male subjects. Results: The cocaine-addicted subjects demonstrated bilateral activation of the orbitofrontal cortex after the procaine challenge, whereas the comparison subjects showed activation of the anterior cingulate, bilateral insular, and right amygdalar regions. After receiving placebo, the cocaine-addicted subjects showed markedly lower rCBF in the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex than the comparison subjects. Conclusions: The pattern of hypoperfusion in the placebo state followed by heightened activation with procaine in the cocaine-addicted subjects is similar to the pattern of interictal hypoperfusion and ictal hyperperfusion that has been observed in subjects with epilepsy. The findings for the cocaine-addicted subjects may thus represent evidence of localized (orbitofrontal) sensitization.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034745330&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034745330&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1176/appi.ajp.158.3.390
DO - 10.1176/appi.ajp.158.3.390
M3 - Article
C2 - 11229979
AN - SCOPUS:0034745330
VL - 158
SP - 390
EP - 398
JO - American Journal of Psychiatry
JF - American Journal of Psychiatry
SN - 0002-953X
IS - 3
ER -