The current study investigates the neural response to alcohol-related cues and resting electrical activity and functional connectivity among patients with alcohol addiction. The results of our study are consistent both across the two imaging modalities and with previously published results on resting-state and alcohol cue-reactivity paradigms. We observe increased BOLD signal levels associated with heightened cue-reactivity as well as corresponding cue-based functional dysconnectivity and resting state hyperactivity in specific cortical and subcortical regions demonstrating the response of the brain to the presence and absence of alcohol-related cues after a short period of abstinence in alcohol addicts. We further show hyperconnectivity in resting-state EEG functional connectivity and dysconnectivity in cue-based fMRI functional connectivity among a densely connected network of different alcohol-related brain areas supporting our hypothesis for a central craving network.
