Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 26, 2026
12:20
Use of the Operant Orofacial Pain Assessment Device OPAD to Measure Changes in Nociceptive Behavior
Published on: June 10, 2013
22.1K
Opioid and Cannabinoid System in Food Intake
Dorota Katarzyna Pomorska, Jean-Claude do-Rego, Jean-Luc do-Rego
1Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Medical University of Lodz, Mazowiecka 6/8, 92-215 Lodz, Poland. anna.janecka@umed.lodz.pl.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
|January 26, 2016
Summary
This review explores how opioid and cannabinoid systems regulate appetite and satiety. Understanding these interactions offers potential for new therapies targeting food intake disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Energy balance is controlled by complex neurochemical systems.
- Opioid and cannabinoid systems play significant roles in regulating food intake.
- Existing research highlights key receptors and brain regions involved in energy homeostasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on opioid and cannabinoid pathways governing appetite and satiety.
- To document the involvement of specific opioid receptors (MOR, DOR, KOR) and the CB1 cannabinoid receptor in food intake.
- To discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting opioid-cannabinoid interactions for food intake disorders.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on neurochemical regulation of energy balance.
- Analysis of research on opioid and cannabinoid receptor involvement in appetite and satiety.
- Synthesis of information on endogenous ligands and their role in food intake.
Main Results:
- Opioid receptors (MOR, DOR, KOR) and the CB1 cannabinoid receptor are integral to appetite and satiety regulation.
- Endogenous ligands for these receptors significantly influence food intake.
- Interactions between opioid and cannabinoid systems are crucial for energy balance.
Conclusions:
- The opioid and cannabinoid systems are key regulators of appetite and satiety.
- Targeting the interplay between these systems presents a promising avenue for developing novel therapeutics for eating disorders.
- Further research into these neurochemical pathways could lead to next-generation treatments for food intake disorders.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Opioid Receptors: Overview
6.3K
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,...
6.3K
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
2.9K
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...
2.9K
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
3.1K
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
3.1K
01:20Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners
1.4K
Opioids are a class of drugs that mimic endogenous opioid peptides and act on opioid receptors, and help in pain relief. These compounds are classified as natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic. Natural opioids, like morphine, codeine, and thebaine, are derived from the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum or Papaver album) and are termed opiates. Synthetic opioids are artificial, while semi-synthetic opioids combine natural and synthetic compounds. Morphine, a prototypical opioid, possesses a...
1.4K
01:15Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids
1.4K
Synthetic and semisynthetic opioids are pivotal in pain management and tackling opioid addiction. Semisynthetic opioids, including morphinans (morphine derivatives), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, have improved pharmacokinetic profiles compared to morphine. Additionally, heroin and 6-MAM (6-Monoacetylmorphine) show better CNS penetration than morphine due to heightened lipid solubility. Hydromorphone, a potent opioid, undergoes hepatic metabolism to form the active...
1.4K
01:21Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Cannabinoids
927
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a phytocannabinoid that primarily interacts with the CB1 receptor, a type of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) predominantly in and around the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) and emetic center. THC also blocks the serotonin receptor activity in the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) by inhibiting serotonin release. THC exerts its anti-emetic effects through these interactions, which are beneficial for patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Two synthetic agonists of THC,...
Two synthetic agonists of THC,...
927