Opioids slot into opioid receptors and activate them. This sends signals to your brain to relieve pain and promote pleasure. Both endogenous opioids, which your body naturally produces, and exogenous ...

Drugs that target opioid receptors sometimes have severe side effects. Thousands of people around the world die every day from overdoses involving opioids such as fentanyl. Researchers have taken a ...

The human body naturally produces opioid-like substances, such as endorphins, which block the perception of pain and increase the feeling of well-being. Similarly, opioid drugs, including morphine or ...

Unbiased whole-brain mapping of c-Fos identifies active brain regions following a rewarding dose of oxycodone. c-Fos-positive cells are shown in red; white matter tracks are shown in green. Opioids, ...

Opioids have long been known as natural substances with substantial pharmacological effect. They have been used as effective painkillers. A very prominent example is morphine, which was first isolated ...

New research undertaken by American and Chinese researchers may pave the way for safer opioid painkillers, thanks to the use of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to examine the detailed structures of ...

Brain volume and function are altered in individuals with opioid use disorder, a new Yale study finds. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional MRI (fMRI), researchers observed the ...

Opioid drugs such as morphine and fentanyl are like the two-faced Roman god Janus: The kindly face delivers pain relief to millions of sufferers, while the grim face drives an opioid abuse and ...

Share on Pinterest Researchers say circuits in the brain could help provide pain relief without the use of opioids. Westend61/Getty Images Researchers have identified an alternative pain control ...