Brain Activation Elicited by Affectively Positive Stimuli Is Associated With a Lower Risk of Relapse in Detoxified Alcoholic Subjects

Abstract

In this study, brain activation elicited by briefly presented alcohol-associated stimuli was not associated with the prospective risk of relapse. Unexpectedly, alcoholic subjects displayed increased limbic brain activation during the presentation of affectively positive but not negative stimuli, which may reflect a protective factor in detoxified alcoholic subjects.