Moreover, seven SNPs covering OPRK1 were examined in the majority of the above subjects (390 cases, including 327 AD, 177 CD and 97 OD subjects, and 358 controls).
Findings from these studies have led us to recognize the profound disruption of both dynorphin gene expression and kappa opioid receptor gene expression in a setting of chronic cocaine administration and, in turn, have led us to question a possible role of disruption of this system in the acquisition and persistence of cocaine addiction.
Here, we examined whether the OPRK1 rs6989250 C>G affects stress-induced cocaine craving and cortisol responses, subsequent cocaine relapse risk and the neural response to stress using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in cocaine dependence.
This study indicates that a patient's OPRK1 genotype could be used to identify a subset of individuals for whom vaccine treatment may be an effective pharmacotherapy for cocaine dependence.