Injection vs. Oral Drug Use: Unveiling the Unique Brain Network Activation

A new study conducted by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) suggests that a group of brain regions known as the "salience network" is uniquely activated when drugs are taken intravenously, but not when taken orally. The study found that drugs that enter the brain quickly, such as through injection or smoking, are more addictive than when taken orally, and this difference may be due to the activation of the salience network. Understanding the brain mechanisms underlying addiction is crucial for developing new therapies for substance use disorders and addressing the overdose crisis.