Brain Connectivity Study on Opioid Abstinence in Adults Treated with Methadone or Buprenorphine

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying brain connectivity patterns related to relapse in people being treated for opioid use disorder. The study focuses on individuals who have recently started treatment with either methadone or buprenorphine, aiming to understand factors linked to continued opioid abstinence during therapy. Participants who have begun methadone or buprenorphine treatment within the past six months will undergo functional MRI fMRI scans while performing various cognitive tasks such as the Stroop task, emotion regulation, reward ambiguity, drug cue, and cognitive behavioral therapy tasks. No specific stimuli are presented during the fMRI. The study observes participants over time without assigning experimental treatments. During the study, participants will attend monthly visits for six months after neuroimaging to monitor illicit opioid use. The research team also tracks retention in medication for opioid use disorder MOUD treatment for up to nine months. Participants must be eligible for MRI and able to commit to study visits while completing cognitive assessments and behavioral evaluations throughout the observation period.

fMRI and Opioid Abstinence