title: Opioid-induced abnormal pain sensitivity.
abstract: Opioid analgesics are effective for treating many pain conditions. Opioid analgesic tolerance is a pharmacologic phenomenon that could affect the clinical use of opioid analgesics. Recent studies have shown that neural plasticity associated with the development of opioid tolerance may activate a pronociceptive mechanism that could counteract the analgesic effects of opioids. Thus, exposure to opioids could lead to two seemingly unrelated cellular processes (ie, the development of opioid tolerance and opioid-induced pain sensitivity). Their converging effects may be part of the mechanisms leading to the reduced opioid analgesic efficacy in chronic opioid therapy.
authors.affiliation: MGH Pain Center, Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, 02114, USA. jmao@partners.org
authors.forename: Jianren
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D006801:Humans; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid