Opioid receptors are proteins in the nervous system that interact with opioids. Opioid receptors are part of the endogenous opioid system. This is the body’s internal system for regulating pain, ...

Opioids slot into opioid receptors and activate them. This sends signals to your brain to relieve pain and promote pleasure. Both endogenous opioids, which your body naturally produces, and exogenous ...

Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) is an endogenous peptide that plays a critical role in modulating opioid receptor function. Its dual capacity to influence both opioid-induced analgesia and tolerance has ...

Kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) agonists represent a promising class of compounds that modulate pain, mood and various neurobehavioural processes. Unlike traditional opioids that primarily target the ...

Drugs that target opioid receptors sometimes have severe side effects. Thousands of people around the world die every day from overdoses involving opioids such as fentanyl. Researchers have taken a ...

Two different versions of the mu-opioid receptor within a cellular membrane illustrate how the receptor changes its conformation to send a signal into the cell. Scientists captured six high-resolution ...

Unbiased whole-brain mapping of c-Fos identifies active brain regions following a rewarding dose of oxycodone. c-Fos-positive cells are shown in red; white matter tracks are shown in green. Opioids, ...

Opioid receptors are fantastic targets for treating pain—but unfortunately, the drugs that target them can be addictive. Because the molecules suppress breathing and heart function, those drugs can ...

Opioids, like the commonly prescribed pain reliever oxycodone, are known for being highly addictive. In 2022, nearly 85,000 people died from an opioid overdose in the U.S. according to the Centers for ...

University of Florida scientists have helped identify a novel drug compound that selectively activates pain-altering receptors in the body, offering a potentially safer alternative to conventional ...

Opioids have long been known as natural substances with substantial pharmacological effect. They have been used as effective painkillers. A very prominent example is morphine, which was first isolated ...