Korean J Biol Psychiatry.  2005 May;12(1):68-72.

fMRI Investigation on Cue-induced Smoking Craving: A Case Report

• Lim HK
• Pae CU
• Lee CU

Abstract

OBJECT: Nicotine dependence is the most common substance abuse disorder. One of the characteristics of nicotine dependence is craving. Regional activation of the brain induced by craving for nicotine was evaluated by using functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate neuroanatomical site of smoking craving. METHOD: A smoker who satisfied DSM-IV criteria for nicotine dependence and a non smoker was studied. MRI data were acquired on a 1.5T Magnetom Vision Plus with a head volume coil. Two sets of visual stimuli were presented to subjects in a random manner. One was the film scenes of inducing smoking craving and the other was neutral stimuli not related to smoking. There were two fMRI sessions before and after smoking or sham smoking. Data were analyzed using SPM99.
RESULTS
fMRI showed significant activated area in anterior cingulate and medial frontal lobes in the smoker during smoking craving. Right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and parietal lobes were activated in the control during visual stimulation before smoking. After smoking, there was no brain activation during visual stimulation in both of smoker and non smoker.
CONCLUSION
Metabolic activity of the anterior cingulate and medial frontal lobes increased during craving for smoking. This result suggests that fMRI may be a valuable tool in the identification of neurobiological process of craving.

Keyword

Smoking; Craving; fMRI

MeSH Terms

Brain
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Frontal Lobe
Head
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Nicotine
Parietal Lobe
Photic Stimulation
Prefrontal Cortex
Smoke*
Smoking*
Substance-Related Disorders
Tobacco Use Disorder
Nicotine
Smoke