Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids01:15

Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids

674
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...
674
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

1.2K
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...
1.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Optimization of heroin conjugate vaccine performance in rodent models.

NPJ vaccines·2026
Same author

Effects of repeated treatment with opioids that vary in mu opioid receptor efficacy on pain-depressed locomotor behavior in mice.

Psychopharmacology·2026
Same author

Atomic layering thermostable antigen and adjuvant (ALTA®) provides unique, controlled antigen release to improve immune response to vaccination.

Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society·2026
Same author

Tobacco cessation services for cancer survivors: A capture and coding of U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Center webpages.

Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco·2026
Same author

Author Correction: A µ-opioid receptor superagonist analgesic with minimal adverse effects.

Nature·2026
Same author

A µ-opioid receptor superagonist analgesic with minimal adverse effects.

Nature·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 25, 2025

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats
04:11

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats

Published on: November 6, 2018

17.4K

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is made persistent with morphine treatment in aged rats.

Stephanie M Muscat1, Nicholas P Deems2, Heather D'Angelo3

  • 1Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.

Neurobiology of Aging
|December 20, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Postoperative morphine treatment in aged rats prolonged surgical memory deficits for months, independent of pain relief. Neuroinflammation, not pain, drove these persistent memory impairments, suggesting new therapeutic targets for postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

Keywords:
AgingAlzheimer's diseaseCognitive impairmentHippocampusMorphineNeuroinflammationOpioidsSurgerySynaptic dysfunction

More Related Videos

Facial Nerve Surgery in the Rat Model to Study Axonal Inhibition and Regeneration
05:04

Facial Nerve Surgery in the Rat Model to Study Axonal Inhibition and Regeneration

Published on: May 5, 2020

7.8K
2-Vessel Occlusion/Hypotension: A Rat Model of Global Brain Ischemia
09:29

2-Vessel Occlusion/Hypotension: A Rat Model of Global Brain Ischemia

Published on: June 22, 2013

20.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 25, 2025

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats
04:11

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats

Published on: November 6, 2018

17.4K
Facial Nerve Surgery in the Rat Model to Study Axonal Inhibition and Regeneration
05:04

Facial Nerve Surgery in the Rat Model to Study Axonal Inhibition and Regeneration

Published on: May 5, 2020

7.8K
2-Vessel Occlusion/Hypotension: A Rat Model of Global Brain Ischemia
09:29

2-Vessel Occlusion/Hypotension: A Rat Model of Global Brain Ischemia

Published on: June 22, 2013

20.4K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a significant concern, particularly in older adults, with unknown underlying mechanisms.
  • Persistent POCD is linked to increased Alzheimer's disease vulnerability.
  • Laparotomy in aged rats causes short-term memory deficits, but long-term effects are unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the long-term effects of postsurgical morphine on memory in aged rats.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms underlying persistent memory deficits after surgery and morphine treatment.
  • To explore potential therapeutic interventions for surgery-induced cognitive impairments.

Main Methods:

  • Aged rats underwent laparotomy and received postsurgical morphine treatment.
  • Long-term memory was assessed at 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-surgery.
  • Hippocampal gene expression of inflammatory markers and synaptic proteins was analyzed.
  • Intervention with an IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) was performed.

Main Results:

  • Postsurgical morphine significantly extended memory impairments to at least 2 months in aged rats, while short-term memory remained intact.
  • Memory deficits were mediated by neuroinflammation, independent of μ-opioid receptor activation.
  • Increased expression of proinflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, NLRP3, HMGB1, TLR2, TLR4) was observed in the hippocampus.
  • Central blockade of IL-1β signaling prevented memory impairment.
  • Dysregulation of synaptic genes (synaptophysin, PSD95) suggests impaired synaptic structure/function.

Conclusions:

  • Postsurgical morphine can induce persistent, long-term memory deficits in aged rats, mimicking human POCD.
  • Neuroinflammation, specifically IL-1β signaling, plays a critical role in mediating these persistent deficits.
  • Targeting neuroinflammatory pathways, rather than pain modulation, may offer therapeutic strategies for preventing persistent POCD.