Nociceptin Receptors Upregulated in Cocaine Use Disorder: A Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Study Using...

Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) is an antistress neuropeptide transmitter in the brain that counteracts corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-mediated stress and anxiety symptoms during drug and alcohol withdrawal. It also inhibits the release of a wide array of neurotransmitters, including dopamine and glutamate, which allows for it to block the rewarding properties of cocaine. Chronic cocaine administration in rodents has been shown to decrease N/OFQ and increase nociceptive opioid peptide (NOP) receptors in the nucleus accumbens. No previous studies have reported on the in vivo status of NOP in chronic cocaine-abusing humans.

[¹¹C]NOP-1A and positron emission tomography (PET) were used to measure in vivo NOP binding in 24 individuals with cocaine use disorder and 26 healthy control subjects matched for age, sex, and smoking status. Participants with cocaine use disorder with no comorbid psychiatric or medical disorders were scanned after 2 weeks of outpatient-monitored abstinence. [¹¹C]NOP-1A distribution volume (V_T) was measured with kinetic analysis using the arterial input function in brain regions that mediate reward and stress behaviors. Participants with cocaine use disorder were followed up for 12 weeks after PET scanning to document relapse and relate it to V_T.

A significant increase in [¹¹C]NOP-1A V_T was observed in the cocaine use disorder group compared with the healthy control group. This increase, which was generalized across all regions of interest (approximately 10%), was most prominent in the midbrain, ventral striatum, and cerebellum. However, increased V_T in these regions did not predict relapse.

Increased NOP in cocaine use disorder suggests an adaptive response to decreased N/OFQ, or increased CRF transmission, or both. Future studies should examine the interactions between CRF and NOP to elucidate their role in negative reinforcement and relapse. NOP agonist medications to enhance N/OFQ should be explored as a therapeutic to treat cocaine use disorder.