The opioid systems--panacea and nemesis.
This mini-review outlines the opioid systems and their roles primarily as related to reward and compulsive drug/alcohol intake. The central role is taken by the mu-opioid receptor, target for opiate analgesics and also a central target in compulsive alcohol abuse, alcoholism. The mu-opioid receptor and the cognate opioid neuropeptides from proenkephalin and proopiomelancortin are members of a superfamily of opioid systems, each with unique and still to be defined roles in the central nervous system.
Terenius
Lars
L
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden. Lars.Terenius@ki.se
Johansson
Björn
B
D052636:Allostasis; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000378:metabolism*; D012201:Reward
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D004745:Enkephalins; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D011498:Protein Precursors; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; C029992:proenkephalin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin