PMID: 22340467Feb 22, 2012Paper

Clinical observation of physiological and psychological reactions to electric stimulation of the amygdaloid nucleus and the nucleus accumbens in heroin addicts after detoxification

Chinese Medical Journal
Jun FangYong-Hua Hu

Abstract

Stereotactic surgery has been used to treat heroin abstinence in China since 2000 by ablating the amygdaloid nucleus (AMY) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc), which also provides opportunity to identify the relationship between these nuclei and addiction. Our study aimed to explore the physiological and psychological effects of electrically stimulating the AMY and the NAc in heroin addicts after detoxification by observing changes of heart rate, arterial pressure and occurrence of euphoria similar to heroin induced euphoria. A total of 70 heroin addicts after detoxification were recruited, and 61 of them were eligible to be given stereotactic surgery for heroin abstinence. The operation was carried out after determining the coordinates of all target nucleuses, and stimulation was performed at the AMY and the NAc solely or jointly. Heart rate, arterial pressure and occurrence of euphoria similar to heroin induced euphoria were recorded and analyzed. The average heat rate was (66 ± 10) beats/min before electric stimulation, and significantly increased to (84 ± 14) beats/min during stimulation, and changed to (73 ± 12) beats/min 10 minutes after stimulation. There was a significant elevation of the average arterial pressure from 83 m...Continue Reading

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