Abstract

Study 1: The cerebral correlates of craving were investigated using fMRI during ethanol stimulation. Subjects (10 male alcoholics/10 matched nonpatients) were measured twice (patients underwent intervention). During ethanol, only patients showed subcortical-limbic (right amygdala/hippocampus) and cerebellum activation before treatment. Superior temporal sulcus activation was found after treatment. Comparison subjects showed no comparable activation shifts. The findings suggest state-dependent neurobiological correlates of cue-induced craving in alcoholics. Study 2: The self-regulation of emotional brain mechanisms was explored using real-time fMRI and biofeedback. During three measurements six healthy males viewed their corresponding amygdala during sadness. Real-time data analysis was performed with sliding-window. Interindividual variability between subjects was found