Brain dopamine response in human opioid addiction

Background Drugs of dependence cause dopamine release in the rat striatum. Human neuroimaging studies have shown an increase in dopamine in the equivalent region in response to stimulants and other drugs. Aims We tested whether opioids provoke dopamine release and its relationship to the subjective experience. Method In two combined studies 14 heroin addicts on methadone maintenance treatment underwent two positron emission tomography brain scans of the dopamine system using [C-11]-raclolpride following an injection of placebo and either 50mg intravenous diamorphine or 10mg subcutaneous hydromorphone in a double-blind, random order design. Results Both opioids produced marked subjective and physiological effects, but no measurable change in [C-11]-raclopride binding. Conclusions The absence of a dopamine response to opioid agonists contrasts with that found with stimulant drugs and suggests dopamine may not play the same role in addiction to opioids. This questions the role of dopamine in the subjective experience of heroin in opioid addicts. Declaration of interest None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.