The influence of conditioned stimuli on [11C]-(+)-PHNO PET binding in tobacco smokers after a one week abstinence

Stimuli previously paired with drugs of dependence can produce cravings that are associated with increased dopamine (DA) levels in limbic and striatal brain areas. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging with [11C]-(+)-PHNO allows for a sensitive measurement of changes in DA levels. The purpose of the present study was to investigate changes in DA levels, measured with PET imaging with [11C]-(+)-PHNO, in regions of interest in smokers who had maintained abstinence for 7–10 days. Participants (N = 10) underwent two PET scans on separate days, during which they viewed either smoking-related or neutral images, in counterbalanced order. Craving was measured with the 12-item Tobacco Craving Questionnaire (TCQ) and the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges-Brief (QSU-B). Compared to neutral cues, smoking cues did not increase craving. There were no changes in [11C]-(+)-PHNO binding in the cue condition compared to the neutral condition for most regions of interest (ventral pallidum, globus pallidus, limbic striatum, associative striatum, sensorimotor striatum). However, binding potential in the substantia nigra was greater in the smoking-cue condition, indicating decreased synaptic dopamine. There is a potential change of DA level occurring in midbrain following the presentation of smoking-related cues. However, this preliminary finding would need to be validated with a larger sample.