Opioid Use Disorder is Associated with Lower Resting-State Brain Network Segregation

A study examined brain functional organization in 149 individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and 126 non-OUD controls using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results showed that individuals with OUD have lower segregation of association and sensorimotor brain networks compared to the control group. Within the OUD group, longer duration of opioid use was associated with lower segregation of the association network. These findings indicate that opioid use disorder is characterized by reduced functional specialization of brain networks. Researchers identified altered network segregation as a potential biological marker of OUD and suggest that restoration of brain network specialization could be a measurable target of treatment and recovery.