Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Author Spotlight: Understanding Adolescent Social Adversity Effects on Neurodevelopment in Mice
07:15

Author Spotlight: Understanding Adolescent Social Adversity Effects on Neurodevelopment in Mice

Published on: March 15, 2024

3.0K

It still hurts: altered endogenous opioid activity in the brain during social rejection and acceptance in major

D T Hsu1, B J Sanford2, K K Meyers3

  • 11] Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA [2] Department of Psychiatry, The Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

Molecular Psychiatry
|January 21, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients exhibit reduced opioid system activity during social rejection, hindering emotional recovery. This altered endogenous opioid release may worsen depression and impede treatment outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • The μ-opioid receptor (MOR) system modulates physical pain and is implicated in social pain processing.
  • Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is associated with altered emotional regulation and social functioning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate endogenous opioid system activity in response to social rejection and acceptance in individuals with MDD compared to healthy controls (HCs).
  • To determine if MOR system activation differs between MDD patients and HCs during social emotional challenges.

Main Methods:

  • Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning using the selective MOR radioligand [(11)C]carfentanil.
  • Comparison of MOR system activation, reflecting endogenous opioid release, between medication-free MDD patients (n=17) and HCs (n=18) during social rejection and acceptance tasks.

Main Results:

  • MDD patients demonstrated reduced endogenous opioid release in stress, mood, and motivation-regulating brain regions during social rejection, with slower emotional recovery than HCs.
  • Healthy controls, but not MDD patients, showed increased social motivation during acceptance, correlated with opioid release in the nucleus accumbens.

Conclusions:

  • Altered endogenous opioid system activity in MDD may impair recovery from negative social experiences and diminish pleasure from positive social interactions.
  • These MOR system dysfunctions could reinforce depressive symptoms, precipitate relapse, and negatively impact treatment effectiveness in MDD.

More Related Videos

A Multiple Integrated Social Stress Model for Psychiatric Disorders in Female C57BL/6J Mice06:15

A Multiple Integrated Social Stress Model for Psychiatric Disorders in Female C57BL/6J Mice

Published on: July 15, 2025

1.5K
An Olfactory Preference Test for Measuring Olfactory Hedonic Biases in Mouse Models of Depression06:27

An Olfactory Preference Test for Measuring Olfactory Hedonic Biases in Mouse Models of Depression

Published on: July 11, 2025

1.2K

Related Concept Videos

Depressive Disorders: Etiology01:27

Depressive Disorders: Etiology

Depressive disorders result from a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, each contributing uniquely to the development and persistence of the condition. Understanding these factors provides critical insight into the multifaceted nature of depression.
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
885
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia 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...
3.2K
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents01:23

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

Atypical antidepressants, including bupropion (Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (Serzone), trazodone (Desyrel), and vilazodone (Viibryd), offer unique mechanisms of action. Bupropion weakly inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, aiding depression treatment and smoking cessation, with a low risk of sexual dysfunction. Mirtazapine enhances serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmission, leading to sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. As a result, it helps treat...
1.3K
Opioid Receptors: Overview01:22

Opioid 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,...
7.1K
Depression: Overview01:18

Depression: Overview

Depression is a prevalent mental illness marked by persistent sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. It can take several forms, including major depression, persistent depressive disorder, and bipolar I and II disorders. Symptoms range from emotional changes like chronic worry to physical changes like sleep disturbances and suicidal thoughts. From a neurobiological perspective, depression is believed to be triggered by abnormalities in the brain's prefrontal cortex,...
1.2K