Resting-state fMRI observation on impact of six months' Methadone maintenance treatment and protracted abstinence on brain function in Heroin dependents / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the effects of protracted abstinence (PA) and methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) on the brain function of heroin addicts for 6 months. Methods: Twenty-two heroin addicts with PA for 6 months intervention (PA group), 25 heroin addicts with MMT for 6 months intervention (MMT group), and 35 normal controls (control group) were recruited. The resting data were collected by fMRI. The low-frequency amplitude (ALFF) method was used to calculate the intensity of local brain spontaneous activity in the 3 groups. The differences in ALFF of the 3 groups were analyzed and compared. Results: There were significant differences in ALFF between the 3 groups in the right frontal medial, left medial frontal gyrus, left island leaf, left tongue lingual, right lingual gyrus and right auxiliary motion zone (all P0.05). Conclusion: After 6 months of intervention, there are still abnormalities in some brain regions between PA and MMT, but PA may be more conducive to brain function recovery in heroin addicts.