A5027055031- Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
- Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Alcoholism and Thiamine Deficiency
- Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
- Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
- Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis
- Pharmacological Effects and Toxicity Studies
- Thyroid Disorders and Treatments
- Treatment of Major Depression
- Health and Medical Studies
- Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurovascular Disturbances
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Mental Health Research Topics
Central Institute of Mental Health
2013-2022
Heidelberg University
2013-2022
University Hospital Heidelberg
2013-2022
Klinik für Psychosomatik
2011-2019
Zentrum für Seelische Gesundheit
2016
Klinikum Stuttgart
2013-2014
University of Zurich
2010
Heidelberg University
2004
Universitäts-Frauenklinik des Saarlandes
1971
OBJECTIVE: Alcohol and other drugs of abuse stimulate dopamine release in the ventral striatum, which includes nucleus accumbens, a core region brain reward system, reinforce substance intake. Chronic alcohol intake is associated with down-regulation central D2 receptors, delayed recovery receptor sensitivity after detoxification positively correlated high risk for relapse. Prolonged dysfunction striatum may interfere dopamine-dependent error detection signal bias system toward excessive...
During the development of drug addiction, initial hedonic effects decrease when substance use becomes habitual and ultimately compulsive. Animal research suggests that these changes are represented by a transition from prefrontal cortical control to subcortical striatal within striatum ventral dorsal domains striatum, but only limited evidence exists in humans. In this study we address hypothesis context alcohol dependence.Non-abstinent heavy social drinkers (n = 21, 5.0 ± 1.5 drinks/day, 13...
Background:The pleasant effects of food and alcohol intake are partially mediated by µ-opiate receptors in the ventral striatum, a central area brain reward system.Blockade with naltrexone reduces relapse risk among some but not all alcoholic individuals.Objective: To test hypothesis that craving is pronounced individuals high availability system.Design: Patients comparison sample.The was measured vivo positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand carbon 11-labeled carfentanil striatum...
— Aims: Craving for the rewarding effects of alcohol may be evoked by conditioned alcohol-like whereas compensatory responses induce withdrawal relief craving. We tested hypothesis that drinking in positive emotional states is associated with appetitive reactions to alcohol-associated cues and contributes reward craving, while negative situations distressful, obsessive preoccupations alcohol. Methods: In 38 detoxified alcoholics, Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale was used assess craving...
Summary The objective of this study was to develop new standardized alcohol-associated cues and assess their effects on brain activation with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Pictures alcoholic neutral beverages affectively pictures were presented 44 abstinent alcoholics 37 age-matched healthy control subjects. We assessed the skin conductance response, elicited arousal valence. Alcoholics subjects did not differ in arousal, valence or response evoked by stimuli, while...
Alcohol-associated cues are able to elicit brain activations in mesocorticolimbic networks that related the rewarding properties of drug. Some authors hypothesize activation reward system triggers an attention allocation alcohol-associated cues. Yet, no functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies examining this proposition available. In fMRI study we investigate association between attentional bias and neural cue reactivity. Thirty-eight recently abstinent alcohol-dependent patients...
Background: Alcohol abuse has detrimental effects on cerebral function, metabolism, and volume. Some of these were found to be at least partially reversible with continued abstinence. Furthermore, it been reported that there are different alcohol brain volumes for women compared men, but the results concerning interaction between dependence gender inconsistent. With this study, we aimed further investigate question by examining global gray matter (GM) white (WM) changes as well regional...
The results of placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) with acamprosate or naltrexone vary substantially. Those differences have been attributed to differing patient characteristics, recruitment strategies, treatment settings and remuneration systems. We tested these assumptions by comparing a new double–blind, randomized trial conducted in Germany (called PREDICT Study) data from the US COMBINE Study. was designed according protocol A total 426 alcohol-dependent patients were compared 459 Study...
Abstract During the first weeks of abstinence, alcohol craving in patients may increase or “incubate.” We hypothesize that Naltrexone (NTX) blocks this incubation effect. Here, we compared NTX effects on neural cue reactivity (CR) over abstinence and long‐term clinical outcomes to standard treatment. Male alcohol‐dependent ( n = 55) healthy controls 35) were enrolled. Participants underwent baseline psychometric testing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) assessment mesolimbic CR....
Overlapping neurobiological pathways between obesity and addiction disorders are currently in discussion. Whereas the hypothalamic regulation of energy homeostasis by endocrine feedback signals has been widely investigated, its interplay with mesolimbic reward-associated represents a rich field future research.To assess changes regional brain activation response to food-related cues association body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight kilograms divided height meters squared) plasma...
Background Effect sizes of pharmacotherapy in alcoholism are modest. They might improve if subjects could be divided into more homogeneous subgroups and would then treated targeted to their neurobiological profile. In such an effort, we tested neural cue reactivity as a potential predictor treatment response naltrexone. Alcohol‐associated cues cause brain activations mesocorticolimbic networks due the positive reinforcing properties alcohol. These were reported associated with relapse...
Background Chronic alcohol abuse leads to severe damage of the nervous system, including a change in cerebral metabolism and brain morphology. Global volume reductions gray matter ( GM ) white an increase cerebrospinal fluid CSF occur after consumption, but abstinent alcoholics also demonstrate recovery. The aim this study was investigate whether volumetric amelioration takes place already within first 2 weeks abstinence. Methods All 49 alcohol‐dependent patients included were scanned 24...
Although the detrimental effects of alcohol on brain are widely acknowledged, observed structural changes highly heterogeneous, and diagnostic markers for characterizing alcohol-induced damage, especially in early abstinence, lacking. This heterogeneity, likely contributed to by comorbidity factors patients with use disorder (AUD), challenges a direct link alterations pathophysiology misuse. Translational studies animal models may help bridge this causal gap.To compare microstructural...