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Related Concept Videos

Nociception01:44

Nociception

27.9K
Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain.
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Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

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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...
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Pain01:20

Pain

481
Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
481
Depressants01:28

Depressants

116
Depressant drugs, including alcohol and sedative-hypnotics, diminish central nervous system activity by enhancing the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that reduces brain activity and promotes relaxation. These substances can have various therapeutic uses but also pose significant risks, especially when misused or combined.
Alcohol is a common depressant that can induce a sense of relaxation and reduced inhibition at low doses. Contrary to its occasional...
116
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine01:27

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

209
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
209
Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners01:20

Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners

250
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...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2025

Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities
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Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities

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Alcohol use and the pain system.

Michael Vigorito1, Sulie L Chang1,2

  • 1Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, United States.

Advances in Drug and Alcohol Research
|February 23, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Alcohol use and dependence are linked to pain perception. Understanding how alcohol affects the pain system may reveal pathways to addiction and chronic pain development.

Keywords:
alcohol misusec-FOShyperkatifeianeuroimmune interactionnociceptionpain pathwayspain-associated alcohol dependence

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Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents
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Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder
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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Addiction Medicine
  • Pain Research

Background:

  • Global alcohol consumption varies, with significant use in the Americas, Europe, and Western Pacific.
  • Alcohol use spans from low-risk to dependence (alcohol use disorder), with at-risk behaviors potentially leading to addiction and adverse health outcomes.
  • Emerging theories suggest subjective pain experiences may drive the transition across the spectrum of alcohol use behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted effects of alcohol on the entire pain system.
  • To explore the role of pain perception in the development of alcohol dependence.
  • To synthesize current understanding of neurobiological mechanisms linking pain and alcohol use disorder.

Main Methods:

  • Narrative review of existing scientific literature.
  • Analysis of epidemiological data on global alcohol consumption.
  • Examination of the neurobiology of pain processing and alcohol's impact.

Main Results:

  • Alcohol impacts nociception, spinal reflexes, and supraspinal pain perception circuits.
  • Chronic pain can develop independently of ongoing nociception due to neuroadaptations.
  • The negative emotional component of pain perception is a key factor in the progression from alcohol use to dependence.

Conclusions:

  • Alcohol's interaction with the pain system is complex and bidirectional.
  • Pain perception and its emotional valence are critical factors in the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence.
  • Targeting pain pathways may offer novel therapeutic strategies for alcohol use disorder.