Opioid receptors are proteins in the nervous system that interact with opioids. Opioid receptors are part of the endogenous opioid system. This is the body’s internal system for regulating pain, ...

Kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) agonists represent a promising class of compounds that modulate pain, mood and various neurobehavioural processes. Unlike traditional opioids that primarily target the ...

Opioid agonists are substances that activate opioid receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems. They have several uses, from pain management to treating opioid use disorder. You have ...

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 ...

An experimental compound (gold) binds (dotted lines) to an unconventional spot within opioid receptors (turquoise) in the brain and therefore avoids some of the dangers associated with current opioid ...

The body's endogenous opioid system has three classes of opioid receptors: mu, delta, and kappa. Previous research showed that mice lacking the mu opioid receptor do not drink alcohol. A new study ...

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 ...

Opioid medications offer people relief from debilitating pain, but these drugs come with dangers: the risk for addiction, miserable withdrawal symptoms and the potential for fatal overdose.