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Updated: Apr 6, 2026
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A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder
Published on: June 18, 2018
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Dysfunctional amygdala activation and connectivity with the prefrontal cortex in current cocaine users
Cleo L Crunelle1,2, Anne Marije Kaag3, Hanna E van den Munkhof4
1Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Human Brain Mapping
|July 30, 2015
Summary
Cocaine use leads to heightened amygdala activity and reduced prefrontal cortex connectivity in response to emotional stimuli. This hyperactivity may predict early cocaine initiation and is linked to prolonged use.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Addiction Research
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Stimulant use, including cocaine, is linked to anxiety and altered brain activity.
- Dexamphetamine administration increases amygdala activation to salient stimuli in healthy individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate how current cocaine use impacts amygdala activity and its connectivity with the prefrontal cortex.
- Examine responses to biologically salient stimuli using an emotional face matching task (EFMT).
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) assessed amygdala activity and connectivity in 51 cocaine users and 32 controls.
- Explored associations between amygdala activation, age of first cocaine use, and duration of use.
Main Results:
- Cocaine users exhibited amygdala hyperactivity and reduced connectivity with the anterior cingulate gyrus.
- Increased amygdala activation correlated with earlier age of first cocaine use and longer use duration.
Conclusions:
- Amygdala hyperactivity may be a risk factor for early cocaine use onset.
- Prolonged cocaine use appears to sensitize amygdala activation.
- Reduced prefrontal control over amygdala responses to emotional stimuli is suggested.
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