This article may help explain addiction science through research on opioid, cocaine, brain science, withdrawal. The source abstract begins by describing: “Persistent vulnerability to drug-seeking is driven by enduring synaptic adaptations, yet current μ-opioid receptor-targeting pharmacotherapies provide limited efficacy against these neuroadaptations.”
Key finding: By targeting a pathway independent of classical opioid receptor signaling, CA4 inhibition represents a mechanistically distinct strategy that may reduce relapse vulnerability in OUD.
Neuropsychopharmacology • 21 Jan 2026 • Research
opioidcocainebrain sciencewithdrawalrelapsetreatment
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This article may help explain addiction science through research on opioid, brain science, relapse, treatment. The source abstract begins by describing: “Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder that, whilst initially driven by activation of brain reward neurocircuits, increasingly engages anti-reward neurocircuits that drive adverse emotional states and relapse.”
Key finding: This Primer by Strang, Volkow and colleagues discusses the risk factors of opioid use disorder, together with its epidemiology, mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment.
Nature Reviews Disease Primers • 09 Jan 2020 • Reviews
opioidbrain sciencerelapsetreatmentreview
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This article may help explain addiction science through research on opioid, brain science, withdrawal, relapse. The source abstract begins by describing: “Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder that is a major burden for the lives of affected individuals, and society as a whole.”
Key finding: Altogether, these animal models will contribute to study behavioural and neuronal circuitries involved in the several negative affective signs characterizing OUD.
Scientific Reports • 29 Apr 2024 • Research
opioidbrain sciencewithdrawalrelapsemental healthtreatment
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This article may help explain addiction science through research on opioid, alcohol, dopamine, brain science. The source abstract begins by describing: “It is well documented that ethanol exposure alters GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)-releasing synapses, and ethanol addiction is associated with endogenous opioid system.”
Key finding: These neuroadaptations to ethanol might contribute to early stage of addiction.
Neuropsychopharmacology • 14 Apr 2010 • Research
opioidalcoholdopaminebrain sciencegeneticstreatment
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This article may help explain addiction science through research on opioid, alcohol, dopamine, brain science. The source abstract begins by describing: “The mechanisms contributing to alcohol use disorder (AUD) are complex and the orexigenic peptide ghrelin, which enhances alcohol reward, is implied as a crucial modulator.”
Key finding: Collectively, our data show that DAG attenuates alcohol-related responses in rodents, an effect opposite to that of ghrelin, and contributes towards a deeper insight into behaviors regulated by the ghrelinergic signaling pathway.
Translational Psychiatry • 04 Jul 2024 • Research
opioidalcoholdopaminebrain sciencetreatmentanimal study
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