Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026
10:19
Neurodegeneration in an Animal Model of Chronic Amyloid-beta Oligomer Infusion Is Counteracted by Antibody Treatment Infused with Osmotic Pumps
Published on: August 14, 2016
Opioid system and Alzheimer's disease
1Department of Neurology, The Lu'an Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Lu'an People's Hospital, Lu'an 237005, Anhui Province, China.
Neuromolecular Medicine
|April 25, 2012
Summary
The opioid system plays a role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, impacting amyloid-beta (Aβ) production and neuroinflammation. Targeting opioid receptors may offer new therapeutic strategies for AD treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Pathology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis involves complex mechanisms, including amyloid-beta (Aβ) production, tau hyperphosphorylation, and neuroinflammation.
- Neurotransmitter systems, such as those involving acetylcholine and glutamate, are implicated in AD.
- The opioid system's role in AD has been increasingly recognized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the involvement of the opioid system in Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- To explore the relationship between opioid receptors, Aβ production, tau pathology, and neuroinflammation in AD.
- To assess the potential of the opioid system as a therapeutic target for AD.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on the opioid system and its interaction with AD pathology.
- Analysis of the mechanisms by which opioid receptors regulate neurotransmitters implicated in AD.
- Examination of the impact of opioid system dysfunction on Aβ generation and tau pathology.
Main Results:
- Opioid receptors influence key neurotransmitters involved in AD pathogenesis.
- Opioid system dysfunction can lead to increased amyloid-beta (Aβ) production by affecting BACE1 and γ-secretase activity.
- Dysfunctional opioid signaling may also contribute to tau hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammation, and cholinergic neuron degeneration.
Conclusions:
- The opioid system is closely linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, including Aβ production, tau hyperphosphorylation, and neuroinflammation.
- Dysregulation of opioid receptors and peptides may drive key aspects of AD progression.
- The opioid system represents a promising and attractive target for developing novel pharmacotherapies for AD.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
01:26Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
01:29Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
01:22Opioid Receptors: Overview
Opioid receptors, including the mu (μ, MOR), delta (δ, DOR), and kappa (κ, KOR) types, belong to the rhodopsin family of G protein-coupled receptors. These receptors are located throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems and in non-neuronal tissues such as macrophages and astrocytes. Opioid receptor ligands can be categorized into agonists or antagonists. Highly selective agonists include [d-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly(ol)5]-enkephalin or DAMGO for MOR, [D-Pen2, D-Pen5]-enkephalin or DPDPE for...
01:22Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment
Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder, is pathologically identified by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau protein. AD pharmacotherapy aims to manage cognitive symptoms, delay disease progression, and treat behavioral symptoms. The treatment is primarily symptomatic and palliative, with no definitive disease-modifying therapy available. Cholinesterase inhibitors, including donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Razadyne), are...
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...