Reduced anterior insular cortex volume in male heroin addicts: a postmortem study.

ABSTRACT: We and others have observed reduced volumes of brain regions, including the nucleus accumbens, globus pallidus, hypothalamus, and habenula in opioid addiction. Notably, the insular cortex has been under increasing study in addiction, and a smaller anterior insula has been found in alcohol-addicted cases. Here, we have investigated whether similar effects occur in heroin addicts compared to healthy controls. Volumes of the anterior and posterior insula in heroin addicts (n = 14) and controls (n = 13) were assessed by morphometry of Nissl-myelin-stained serial whole-brain coronal sections. The mean relative volume of the anterior insular cortex was smaller than in non-addicted controls (3010 ± 614 *10^-6 versus 3970 ± 1306 *10^-6; p = 0.021). However, no significant diffe

SUBMITTER: Muller UJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9888352 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature