Drug addiction is a worldwide societal problem and public health burden, and results from
recreational drug use that develops into a complex brain disorder. The opioid system, one of …

Opioid drugs such as heroin interact directly with opioid receptors whilst other addictive
drugs, including marijuana, alcohol and nicotine indirectly activate endogenous opioid …

Mu opioid receptors mediate positive reinforcement following direct (morphine) or indirect
(alcohol, cannabinoids, nicotine) activation, and our understanding of mu receptor function …

▪ Abstract Opioid receptors belong to the large superfamily of seven transmembrane-
spanning (7TM) G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). As a class, GPCRs are of …

Mu opioid receptor agonists are among the most powerful analgesic medications but also
among the most addictive. The current opioid crisis has energized a quest to develop opioid …

Opioids are the most commonly used and effective analgesic treatments for severe pain, but
they have recently come under scrutiny owing to epidemic levels of abuse and overdose …

The opioid system controls nociception, stress responses, and addictive behaviors.
Exogenous alkaloid opiates and endogenous opioid peptides stimulate mu-, delta-and …

The endogenous opioid system is expressed throughout the brain reinforcement circuitry,
and plays a major role in reward processing, mood control and the development of …

Opioid receptors of the μ-, δ-and κ-subtypes mediate the potent analgesic and addictive
actions of opioid drugs. They also regulate responses to pain, stress and emotions when …

Opioid addiction and overdose are at record levels in the United States. This is driven, in
part, by their widespread prescription for the treatment of pain, which also increased …