Experiments examining the actions of morphine on single neurons from one of the brain's reward centers, the VTA, reveal the mechanism by which the drug exerts its hedonic effects.
The dandelion diaspore changes its shape depending on the moisture levels in the air, and this morphing enhances the dispersal potential of the seeds regardless of the weather conditions.
Both genetic and pharmacological studies reveal an essential role for the CRF1 receptor in social behavior deficits induced by a single morphine administration in male, but not in female, mice.
Sina B Kirchhofer, Victor Jun Yu Lim ... Moritz Bünemann
The molecular pattern underlying the interactions of opioids with their receptor determines whether membrane depolarization increases or decreases their response or even convert antagonists to agonists.
Exogenous opioid analgesia is mediated by MORs expressed in glutamatergic neurons, whereas endogenous opioid analgesia is mediated by MORs expressed in GABAergic neurons.
Justin N Siemian, Miguel A Arenivar ... Yeka Aponte
A small population of lateral hypothalamic neurons detects pain and can be activated to suppress pain-related behavioral adaptations and the unpleasantness associated with pain in mice.
Sara González-Rodríguez, Mohiuddin A Quadir ... Christoph Stein
A novel opioid formulation producing analgesia similar to conventional opioids without permeation of blood-brain or intestinal barriers, thus precluding sedation, constipation and respiratory depression.
Systematic analysis of a broad spectrum of behavioral and physiological traits reveals novel relationships among complex traits, and resolves their underlying combination of genetic loci and molecular mechanisms.
The structure-based design established a new approach to control pathway-selective activation of opioid receptors, resulting in new dual MOR/KOR G-protein biased agonist analgesics with attenuated liabilities.
