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Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities
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Spinal opiates: a review of their effect on spinal function with emphasis on pain processing
1Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica. Supplementum
|January 1, 1987
Summary
Spinal cord opioid receptors, including mu, delta, and kappa, mediate powerful analgesia. These receptors also influence sensory, autonomic, and motor functions, offering potential therapeutic benefits beyond pain relief.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Opioid receptors in the spinal cord are known to produce potent analgesia.
- These receptors are located both presynaptically on primary afferent terminals and postsynaptically on dorsal horn neurons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize distinct opioid receptor populations in the spinal cord.
- To explore the broader functional roles of these receptors beyond nociception.
Main Methods:
- Structure-activity relationship studies.
- Quantitative naloxone antagonism assays.
- Selective cross-tolerance experiments.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests three distinguishable opioid receptor populations in the spinal cord: mu, delta, and kappa.
- These receptors modulate not only nociception but also sensory, autonomic, and motor functions.
Conclusions:
- Spinal opioid receptors play a multifaceted role in central nervous system function.
- Beyond analgesia, these receptors have implications for treating conditions like spasticity and managing autonomic functions.
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