Systematic review of sex-based differences in opioid-based effects

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Biological factors influence opioid responses and problematic opioid use.
• Sex-based differences in non-analgesic opioid effects are poorly understood.
• Opioid use disorder is a significant public health crisis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze pre-clinical literature on sex-based differences in responses to opioids.
• To examine the interplay between sex hormones and opioid receptor activity.
• To understand associated behavioral differences.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search on PubMed using terms like 'opioid oestrogen' and 'opioid testosterone'.
• Review focused on pre-clinical research concerning non-analgesic, sex-based opioid effects.
• Analysis of studies investigating hormone and opioid receptor interactions.

Main Results:

• Pre-clinical research on sex-based opioid effects is disparate in methodology and outcomes.
• Opioid receptor binding, coupling, and density appear to vary with hormone exposure.
• Interactions between opioid and stress systems may differ between sexes due to ovarian hormones.

Conclusions:

• More systematic pre-clinical and clinical research is needed on sex-based differences in opioid effects.
• Understanding these differences is crucial for addressing the opioid crisis.
• Sex hormones significantly modulate opioid receptor-mediated neuronal activity and behavior.