Influence of stereotactic lesions of nucleus accumbens on the nicotine and opioid dependency

    LI Jiang, GAO Guoª²Dong, WANG Xueª²Lian, HE Shiª²Ming

    Institute For Functional Brain Disorders, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710038, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the influence of stereotactic lesions of bilateral nucleus accumbens(NAc)on the nicotine and opioid dependency. METHODS: Fortyª²two opioid and nicotineª²dependant volunteers who had underwent stereotactic lesions of bilateral nucleus accumbens were followed up and Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence was used to grade the nicotine dependency of the volunteers in the different stages following the operation. Relapse rates of the volunteers were recorded and the changes in the opioid and nicotine dependency before and after stereotactic lesions of bilateral nucleus accumbens were explored to identify the function of the nucleus accumbens in opioid and nicotine habituation. RESULTS: The volunteers¬ð relapse rates of opioid were remarkably decreased after operation. The oneª²year relapse rate of was 54.8% and nicotine dependency was markedly alleviated two weeks after operation but increased slightly 3ª²6 months after operation. One year after the operation, nicotine dependency was still significantly lower than that preª²operation. CONCLUSION: Stereotactic lesions of bilateral nucleus accumbens might greatly alleviate the opiord and nicotine dependency. ......