Opioid receptors located in the dorsal peduncular nucleus uniquely contribute to the rewarding effects of opioids.
Opioids, such as the widely prescribed painkiller oxycodone, are notorious for their high addiction potential. In 2022, opioid overdoses claimed the lives of nearly 85,000 people in the U.S., as reported by the Centers for Disease Control. Despite this, opioids continue to be prescribed at concerning rates, especially in Southern states, largely due to the scarcity of effective alternatives.
Researchers at MUSC and around the country are studying the brain to understand more fully what makes these drugs so addictive in the hopes of finding better, nonaddictive medicines for pain relief. Alexander Smith, Ph.D., now an assistant professor in the Department of Neuroscience at MUSC, made a groundbreaking discovery about how opioids function in the brain during his post-doctoral training in the lab of Paul Kenny, Ph.D., at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
New Discoveries in Brain Research
In a study published in the journal Science, Smith and his team found that an understudied brain region responsible for aversion, the dorsal peduncular nucleus, is highly responsive to opioids. Surprisingly, the opioid receptors in this brain region respond uniquely to opioids, contradicting the prevailing belief that opioids act primarily through dopamine in the brain. This discovery offers an exciting new area of research.
“This is potentially a nondopaminergic mechanism for opioid reward, which is something people have been looking for a long time,” said Smith.
The cells that release dopamine are normally set to an on position. But another cell, called an inhibitory neuron, keeps it from releasing dopamine. These inhibitory cells have mu opioid receptors, a subtype of opioid receptors, on them. When opioids bind to these receptors, it blocks the action of the inhibitory cell and allows the dopamine-releasing cell to flood your brain with the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter. This process is called disinhibition.
Groundbreaking Findings on Opioid Receptors
The team, led by Smith and his mentor Paul Kenny, found that mu opioid receptors are abundant on cells in the dorsal peduncular nucleus. The opioid receptors in this region do not result in disinhibition; rather, they are found directly on cells that project to a part of the brain that drives aversive feelings. When opioids bind to these cells, they inhibit them. Removing these aversive feelings leads to reward – a process called negative reinforcement. This contributes to the pleasurable and addictive qualities of opioids.
“We found the mu opioid receptor in a part of the brain that no one expected it to be, and that really goes against all the dogma,” Smith said. “This is a population of cells that are directly responsive to opioids, which is not the way things usually work.”
For decades, many addiction researchers have primarily focused on studying four parts of the brain: the extended amygdala, the ventral tegmental area, the nucleus accumbens, and the prefrontal cortex.
“Studying those four regions hasn’t gotten us very close to developing an actual therapeutic to treat opioid use disorder,” explained Smith. “So, we are trying to take a more holistic view and look at what else might be happening in the brain.”
When Smith got his early results back showing that the dorsal peduncular nucleus was the most significantly affected region by opioids, he had to look up what this brain region did.
“When I found out that it was in the prefrontal cortex, which is part of the brain I’ve looked at thousands of times, I was very surprised,” shared Smith. “I couldn’t believe I never noticed that.”
While recognizing the importance of the dorsal peduncular nucleus in response to opioids, they determined this brain region’s function by stimulating it. This showed that the dorsal peduncular nucleus is required for aversion. They also found that when they deleted the opioid receptor from this brain region, opioids were no longer rewarding. In fact, they became aversive without the opioid receptors in the dorsal peduncular nucleus.
Smith calls this his most exciting piece of data; he had never seen opioids switch from rewarding to aversive before. When mice without opioid receptors in the dorsal peduncular nucleus were made dependent on opioids, they showed worse withdrawal symptoms. These findings suggest that this brain region is not only involved in the rewarding properties of opioids but also the aversive aspects of opioid withdrawal. This further supports their finding that the opioid receptors in this brain region are critical for the development of opioid addiction.
Smith hopes that in the future, scientists will find ways to target this brain region to help people with substance use disorders by preventing the return to use (relapse) and reducing craving and withdrawal. He also hopes this discovery will lead to the development of nonaddictive painkillers.
Reference: “A master regulator of opioid reward in the ventral prefrontal cortex” by Alexander C. W. Smith, Soham Ghoshal, Samuel W. Centanni, Mary P. Heyer, Alberto Corona, Lauren Wills, Emma Andraka, Ye Lei, Richard M. O’Connor, Stephanie P. B. Caligiuri, Sohail Khan, Kristin Beaumont, Robert P. Sebra, Brigitte L. Kieffer, Danny G. Winder, Masago Ishikawa and Paul J. Kenny, 7 June 2024, Science.
DOI: 10.1126/science.adn0886
The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the Cure Addiction Now Foundation.
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75 Comments
Not mentioned in this article is that the study was done on mice. So it’s about the mouse brain, which, for most people, is different from the human brain. This type of research is useless and cruel. Note that the author states, “Studying those four regions hasn’t gotten us very close to developing an actual therapeutic to treat opioid use disorder,” explained Smith. “So, we are trying to take a more holistic view and look at what else might be happening in the brain.” Maybe try studying the human brain, instead of a mouse’s brain? Of course, the researchers cannot be as invasive and cruel to humans. Maybe try developing noninvasive techniques for humans, instead of wasting money on useless and misleading non-human animal studies!
And being holistic means studying the cultural factors involved in human addiction. Creating addicted mice may make these researchers money, but it is stupid, bad science.
If it were actual news it would be the top story everywhere. I was bummed when you pointed out the obvious for me. Dangit….
💯 agreed thank you because I right 6 catch that. Now I’m so disappointed because I’m an addict trying to not be so I was excited to think that finally there might be actual chance for so many of us that need it.
Totally with u on that. Wanting to be normal, fear of relapse, fear of withdrawal from whatever MAT you are taking. Feeling like a failure even though life is back to normalcy with MAT. That is the worst feeling. I wish they could just zap our brains n we could go back to before taking our first drugs.
Ibogaine one session and you are good as new
Yep, but where can you get that treatment? I guess the US won’t find a way to use it to help us. Addiction medicine is too profitable for them…
The Real Opioid crisis is coming from Mexican Cartels. They’re using Fentanyl in copycat opioid pills. Fentanyl is one of most deadly, letal meds there are. 1-2 grains size of sand is a therapeutic dose, but 3-4 grains will kill you. The politician’s wanted to become heros so these regulations & laws were signed into law, totally ignoring actual pain patients. THE FENTANYL from MX Cartels created majority of deaths & I believe certain Dem politicians are being paid off by Cartels. Biden admin let’s 12-15M across border each year. Many are mules bringing it in U S. Trump wants to stop the flow of illegal immigration because that will in effect, help the Fentanyl problem. No 9ne has ever tried to stop the real source of deadly opioids untill DJT. Americans need to know real War on Drugs. Lawsuits against Pharma Corps and legislation for opioids is a diversion from REAL OPOID PROBLEM.
Suboxone has been a miracle for me and generic can be less than 50 bucks per month that is with no insurance
Exactly!
Yeah but how do u get it?
Don’t be so quick to jump for joy about Suboxone! I was dependent on narcotic pain relief drugs Tramadol for years until my rheumatologist moved and dropped all of her patients. So I had no other options but to get into an addiction program that uses Suboxone, and it does help to prevent the opioid withdrawal, but it also destroyed many of my teeth. I am 65 years old and I only had to see a dentist once and that was in boot camp I got 1 filling and never had any problems with my teeth, until Suboxone! I have had 3 teeth extracted so far with more extractions planned. This drug costs my insurance around $400 every 2 weeks, plus the cost for the so called counseling sessions which last for about 15 minutes or so. Total cost over $900 twice a month for the program. I hope this little bit of information about Suboxone helps you in your decision to become drug free.
There is. Don’t give up. That’s one person’s opinion. The scientists think it’s alright. And aren’t the doctors God? Cuz that’s how we treat them. And it’s getting out of control.
This has become a mixture of political opinion and presumption. Observations of different areas in the brain associated with pain receptor aversion and reward is, before things went off track. Such as mice being used, ineffective/cruel and shouldn’t be interpreted as being of any importance as an effective process in acquisition of supportive evidence to advance to human trials.
Smith and the other scientists have, they believe this breakthrough will give them more accurate direction to effectively treat addiction and avert the receptors associated with reward and withdrawal to minimize the physical symptoms.
Quality of life and being able to function in daily life can also mean being addicted to medication.
Computer simulations, aren’t sufficient for human trials. Some of the greatest developments in human health have initiated from the studies of vet science.
So being able to effectively treat pain-management without addiction, minimize physical withdrawal symptoms, would most certainly have my full attention.
I’m afraid you don’t actually understand how and why mice, and other species, are used in medical research. The brains of all mammals react in the same manner to neurotransmitters, an addicted mouse brain (and therefore an addicted or dependent mouse) is an excellent model for the same mechanisms in the human brain.
Finally, someone who actually has knowledge of neurology and the effects of actions on the brain, of many creatures.
These people commenting don’t realize, mice have been used for Every. Single. Drug. Mice are able to repopulate quickly, allowing a linear genetic pattern to be established. On top of thst, mice actually have one of the most similar brains structures to that of humans, and because the risk of death in doing some studies, they cannot ethically be performed on people until they have cleared the preliminary process with animals.
So this article is not null, it’s actually incredibly useful. And it’s the ignorance of people trying to interpret information they are not qualified for, that will prevent successful treatments from being developed.
Actually, I am trained in biochemistry at Duke, and medicine at UTMB. I am now a medical anthropologist, focusing on the cultural causes of disease. I have participated in animal research, and it is terrible scientifically and ethically. Humans are cultural creatures, and our culture defines what we do and our health. It’s not just about biochemistry, which culture also impacts with the substances it has us consume. The biochemistry of different species is different in subtle ways, which is why so many animal studies are contradictory between species. Human culture makes human disease a unique issue. It’s time to extend human medicine beyond biochemistry models and false interspecies comparisons. And if the ethics of medicine ignores the suffering of mice, who are used in psychology experiments as human surrogates, then expect unethical behavior exercised against humans, which history has shown happens. Science without ethics reflects human cruelty and the human penchant towards barbarism. Hundreds of millions of animals are killed each year for “science” in the US. And the US has one of the worst health records of developed nations. It’s not for a lack of animal research, but because of it, and because of a lack of appreciation of the cultural factors causing disease.
Amen!!!!
Amen all animals have feelings too
Exactly. And these mice are feeling great because they are given oxycodone all the time. Fbey are loving it
For all those struggling with addiction, if you have not tried Jesus please consider Him. Nothing worked for me and I tried every other thing.
But Jesus changed my life and has healed me in ways I never believed were possible until I believed in Jesus.
It is impossible to know what Jesus can do until you know Him.
What do you have to lose? Please give Jesus a chance, He has done the impossible in my life. He will not disappoint you.
I work as an addiction counsellor in substance misuse in the UK; opiate substitute treatment (particularly buvidal) seems very promising in treating opioid dependency; though this is only a small part of the overall picture. I appreciate many commenters are from the United States, though, I’d like to assure you that full recovery from opioid addiction and dependency s possible without the presence of substitute medication; the hyperfocus on pharmacological intervention as the necessity seems to be part of the problem
Do you understand the mammal brains have the same structure? Or do you have a mouse-brain in that regard? So first the approach is tested on mice, and then it is obviously tested on humans.
Most of the meds you take now were first tested on mice.
If you don’t understand that, do some research before posting nonsense.
Please. It is totally warranted to murder ten million mice in cold blood to potentially save my fellow humans.
It’s a mouse, they are a pest, a rodent. Let it go and appreciate the positive things learned from it.
You act so smart but you are very stupid. There are laws preventing experimenting on humans. Maybe, “they” should be experimenting on idiot brains like your to understand why uneducated f*ckt*rds say stupid sh1t!! It would not be “cruel” to eliminate the dumb @sses of the world(like you).
It actually is stated quite clearly mice were the subjects. Qnd rhe way science works is you study things on the smallest most insignificant creatures first for 2 reasons 1 being nobody loos twice at a bag of dead rodents ,the other is cost people are expensive to study. Better tests rigorous safety measures its hatd for scientists too just get the ppl in there study groups to even show up and do as there asked . And they are already very very aware of the cultural factors involved in addiction you dont need too be a scientist to kbow that part of it there not trying to be social workers there looking for scientific causes of addiction in the brain having s traumatic childhood isnt the physical process in the body that leads too addiction .
“Prescribed at concerning rates”? This kind of proselytizing has no business in a science article. First of all, it’s untrue. A large number of chronic pain patients who had been on opioids without any addiction (or OUD, since addiction is no longer defined in the DSM) issues were cut off or abruptly tapered down leading many to suicide, getting pain relief from street drugs, or at best a miserable quality of life. Second, “concerning rates” is purely subjective. Finally, the ham-handed DOJ and DEA handling of prescription quotas has, if anything, scared doctors into avoiding opioid prescribing for fear of losing their license or going to prison for “overprescribing” (another completely subjective measure).
The truth is, as you noted, there are few effective alternatives to opioids for moderate to serious pain. Further, opioid dependent individuals very often lead productive, high quality lives that they otherwise could not.
It is the concerning lack of prescriptions that is fueling the overdose epidemic and not the other way around. Regardless, terms like “concerning” belong in the OpEd pages and not in a science article!
Indeed. Completely missing from the article is the fact that overdose deaths DOUBLED when the do-gooders rode in and cut off the chronic pain patients. Prescription meds meant controlled dosing of a known substance. Before the ham-fisted cut-off began, most of the deaths were people who also used street drugs in addition to their prescriptions. Very few people who stuck to their prescription meds died.
Thank Trump, who put the incompetent mo ron Jared Kushner in charge of the ‘overdose problem’, Jared listened to two CEO/Drs, the heads of Blue Cross and Kaiser So Cal, ignoring reams of data that indicated their opinions were just emotionally driven ‘concerns’.
Thank you, very true. I lead an active life. Put on Tylenol 3 now for 6 years. Went from 1 tab to 3 after 5 years for intractable pains at night. Sometimes I only need 2. Believe me I would never take these unless I had to. Would never get any sleep and this in itself could be fatal from falling or driving. Not to mention decreased quality of life. Please just eat healthy, exercise, sing, dance, pray, play guitar, do art. Be good to all you meet. We are in this together. 🙏
I got cut off for being on Xanax foreclose to 20 years and pain medicine was on oxycodone everything to morphine from this pain management little smart ass np said u will pick oxy,s are z,s onJune 13/24 I went to her office nothing said time I got home she called said I’d be getting paper threw mail that I was dismissed from there pain clinic cause I failed drug test been going there close to 16 years never was late for appt,are never failed drug test,and they said I failed drug test in April 15 I think and I’ve been on pain medicine for 20years are more,this place is drug mill. They don’t care about no one but money but I’ve been threw hell because I was on Xanax from I call it a crazy doctor lol. But that was mean as it come to throw me out with out nothing I got sick she told me I would pick between one of them one day and I’ve been on Xanax for guess 20 years I think some one should be sued for treating a disabled person that mad,I was a great patient
Never failed a drug test all time I went there never late meds count was always right they was just mean to me cause they couldn’t cut me off the Xanax,so they lied on drug test and they didn’t get payed by insurance cause they gave me one in Feb,and said they gave me one in April but they lied,
The medical profession’s new ‘ethical’ standard [no more prescribing strong opioids, etc.] meant it/them becoming immoral [by completely cutting off addicted patients and leaving them to twist in the wind]. Simply immoral!
That was in Cha.Tn.how can a NP. Treat u that way they was to just like,my backs wore out from working hard all my life.then when u get old this how u get treated.Im church going person that’s how mad I am cause I hurt really bad,I had ask God forgive me for saying bad word in that other reply.They No,Ed I was on Xanax when I started going there,but never fell,Ed drug test in all years I was going there.Ive seen them make 70/80 year old people cry they treated them so badly.God,s gone get them I’d like see that place closed down I got proof enough to close them down insurance fraud,
Opioid crisis and other issues aside, finding a medication that has the analgesic properties of opioids without the associated dependency and tolerance issues would be a tremendous development.
Here’s what I know for certain- Anything we introduce to our body and continue (be that of Tylenol, caffeine. nasal spray, controlled or non-control substances, etc.) a body becomes adjusted and expects to receive. In its absence, the body notices. Neurologically, it knows!
This was going well, until you knelt down for a low-blow aimed at politics. Keep it above the belt so everyone (regardless of political beliefs) can stand united with the train of thought. Thank you for your comment, well said
Thank you well said. As a pain PT I get no help because people are using oxys as a pleasure drug. Pfff the government did this, they are arresting doctors because they gave pain meds out to pts that need it. Oh boy
Drop. The. Mike.
This couldn’t possibly have been stated any better than it was.
What a well-written sum of the current situation.
Bravo!
This was intended for the original commenter, Martin, fyi…
This is the ABSOLUTE TRUTH!!!!
Having chronic arthritic pain myself I so agree with this comment. Thank god I have a doctor who understands the quality of life issue. With low dose opioids and strengthening exercises I can function on a daily basis with moderate to little pain. There is definitely a stigma as I have experienced it with some pharmacy staff. We need to turn this around.
Thank you finally someone smart that understands not everyone on pain medication is going to abuse it or become addicted and not be able to handle it. I have been on pain medication for over 20yrs taken the right way and I have never gone crazy or been in rehab or been in jail it’s ridiculous that people actually believe it’s the Dr fault people no what they are doing it is their own fault as they choose what to put in their bodies not the other way around. I can’t be the only person who proves that taking pain medication long term is safe and works I’m so tired of hearing about blaming everyone else because you can’t take your medication the right way. People deserve to be treated for pain and suffering and not be punished for other people’s actions.
You dont think a doctor can make mistakes and maybe give patients too much for too long. I don’t know what you take but if your supply was cut off your going too be in for a rude awakening it could easily happen your dr dies the new one says nope and you could start looking elsewhere for a supply even on the street maybe a different type and you can easily have a huge problem fast .
You dont think a doctor can make mistakes and maybe give patients too much for too long. I don’t know what you take but if your supply was cut off your going too be in for a rude awakening it could easily happen your dr dies the new one says nope and you could start looking to dark places
You dont think a doctor can make mistakes and maybe give patients too much for too long. I don’t know what you take but if your supply was cut off your going too be in a bad spot
Im pretty sure the prescribed at concerning rates is product specific, im thinking it ls referring to oxycontin specifically as at onepoint it was marketed as an addiction free super medicine that can safety be given to anyone who has chronic pain. It was prescribed in huge huge quantities that caused tons of damage and ruined many many lives and families it did work well but it was basically heroine just stronger it felt great it worked fast but didnt last too long and could be sniffed injected smoked. It should have been only given to terminal patients or under vry strict circumstances. Theres a good reason theres a class action lawsuit for a few hundred million for those ppl who were prescribed it and the families of those lost too it it was a huge mess all around . Now that im thinking about it a bit more other opiates were also definitely over prescribed as well kids getting perks for wisdom teeth removal the fact you could easily go too any doctor at one time and likely walk away with a prescription for pain meds and not just 1 doctor but several the same day if thats not over prescribed that nothing ever was . I do agree that there now under prescribed those who are truly in horrible pain often aren’t being taken care of properly which is leading many too get there relief from drug dealers when someone hurts enough they’ll go to almost any lengths for some pain management pills are extremely expensive on the street possibly hundreds a day when fentanyl could be as low as 30 dollars its only logical they will likely take that route eventually when it comes to health care patients just cant win pills amd all things that makr us look or feel better or perform better are and always will be over prescribed over used over advertised because they make people rich the majority of people would be ok if they simply ate properly and got enough exercise and strechedwe did evolve to be active creatures everyone wants a quick fix a magic pill . For most pain exercise works wonders yet most people lay in bed making it worse compounding the situation even after surgery most people dont need pain meds for more than a few days the few percentage of people who really do need pain meds are often neglected because pain meds wrre over prescribed heavily creating a mess thats clear in every city and most small towns aswell . Now most doctors avoid prescribing meds out of fear of repercussions or feeding the drug crisis. When a dr asks if your looking for drus or drug seeking and you say yeah nothing has helped so far your basically blacklisted for being truthful even if your not an addict or will ever have a problem you cant ask for pills overprescribed underprescribed over diagnosed under diagnosed the system sucks for someone or another
This is a joke. Your pushing propaganda as if oxycodone are driving deaths when in reality 99% is fentanyl not oxycodone. You combined 2 sentences as if they are when in fact they are not. It’s like ignorant people wrote this article. The same people who have no issue with California and other states legalizing heroin, shrooms, Crack, pcp ect.
The study is about opioids, not just OxyContin. Fentanyl is an opioid. I think these researchers know what they are doing.
The Fentanyl that is the problem is synthetic illicit fentanyl. There are thousands dying from it. The fentanyl in hospitals is not brought into the country illegally and is tightly controlled. Not the problem.
Michelle well said and exactly right because I was prescribed Fentanyl patches for severe pain years ago and was cut off still suffering immensely from debilitating pain. So as my only alternative I tried the street kind and I suffer in pain because to even compare the two as being the same is absolutely a joke. The street Fentanyl is nothing but pure junk and who knows what’s it in and it didn’t even come close to working as the real Fentanyl. So honestly who knows what the true chemicals are that are causing such an alarming amount of the overdoses from street use. It’s terrifying that more preventative actions are not being researched. For anyone suffering from addiction from Fentanyl bought off the streets please, please, please be very cautious because what your buying and putting into your body is not actually Fentanyl and no where even close to the real thing. Please seek help before it’s to late your life matters! Love and light to all
Gail, I apologize for my ignorance, do you? Thank you for your personal opinion. However, do you personally know the author? If not, please leave your opinion of their beliefs out of public view. This is a very serious topic that has little room for this sort of comment. Thank you.
This has become a mixture of political opinion and presumption. Observations of different areas in the brain associated with pain receptor aversion and reward is, before things went off track. Such as mice being used, ineffective/cruel and shouldn’t be interpreted as being of any importance as an effective process in acquisition of supportive evidence to advance to human trials.
Smith and the other scientists have, they believe this breakthrough will give them more accurate direction to effectively treat addiction and avert the receptors associated with reward and withdrawal to minimize the physical symptoms.
Quality of life and being able to function in daily life can also mean being addicted to medication.
Computer simulations, aren’t sufficient for human trials. Some of the greatest developments in human health have initiated from the studies of vet science.
So being able to effectively treat pain-management without addiction, minimize physical withdrawal symptoms, would most certainly have my full attention.
California has not legalized the drugs you listed. Mushroom therapy is emerging, the rest are illegal here.
Oh wow your facts are so messed up. The largest amount of over dose deaths are not because of prescription medication. Illicit fentanyl and other illegal drugs coming across our borders are the problem. Maybe concentrate on doing something about that!
The suffering of pain patients has become surreal because of this so called war on drugs. It is almost impossible to get proper pain relief and each year the government cuts the production of opioid medications. The percentage of chronic pain patients who become addicted is very low.
Stop torture of those of us in pain. Go after the real problem of illegal drugs entering our country. Then maybe you’ll save lives.
Chronic pain patients are addicted to their medicine. Rate is very high. If they were not addictive, they would stop when the doctor stops prescribing
Timothy, do you speak from experience here? Please share if you do. If not, please leave your judgement of how others at the door. Thank you.
Are you positively asserting that a chronic pain patient that takes Oxycodone every day, as prescribed by his/her physician, is NOT addicted to said medication? Just to be clear, the active ingredients inside the medication are unaware whether the patient was indeed prescribed the medication via legitimate doctors orders or through a street dealer. In other words, drugs of any kind do not discriminate.
The whole “chronic pain patients won’t ever become addicted” line was revealed to be nothing more than a sales tactic and was later admitted to be an outright lie by Purdue Pharma themselves (inventors of OxyContin) as a way to move more product when doctors started objecting to the long term dosing of their patients. (The creators of that statement admitted to making it up out of thin air in order to protect their profits)
Note: This is intended to be responsive only to the singular point in the above comment, I’m not referring to any other points made by you or anybody else.
Man I must have missed something in the comment from Michelle because I thought she was saying that the drugs being brought over and sold in the streets were the problem. Because they are and most of us suffering in pain are absolutely not addicted to whatever they are selling under the pretenses of being Fentanyl. Either way I think my comment covered the difference between the two. At least I hope it did.
Well yeah, there’s going to be problems along any road, worth traveling down or not. But let me keep it positive and say I’m excited for improvements on how pain is treated. A non addictive variety just entered my lexicon and maybe one day my reality. Not being horrified when life happens and you can’t get well for work is a nightmare maybe one day we’ll get to say goodbye to!
Personally I think shitting less, sleeping when I want to and not feeling pain is a miracle of medicine. I’ve just possibly been born on the wrong side of history. So all I ask is to let positivity on this matter flow where it is justly warranted.
.
Look substance, it is the people!! They are INTENTIONALLY KILLING EACH OTHER TO ROB THEM!!!! They are not educated about the drug or the substance okay I was a drug addict of the product on the Streets on the product for years.. I’m clean and sober now, from the product or the substance however it’s not the substance that’s the problem okay anything can kill you anything you can walk across the street and it can kill you if you’re not educated about walking across the street then you could die however I knew people that were killing people just to Rob them or getting them to smoke it thinking that they were thinking that it was meth and they were giving them fentanyl just to Rob them if they’re not educated about it or Not educated about anything you know it can kill you or them . it’s it’s a catch 22 however. I’m just saying anything can kill you .if you’re not educated about it I’m not condoning anything. anything illegal don’t get me wrong.
California has not legalized the drugs you listed. Mushroom therapy is emerging, the rest are illegal here.
“2022, opioid overdoses claimed the lives of nearly 85,000 people in the U.S., as reported by the Centers for Disease Control”
Absolutely ridiculous way to include half-truths in a “science” article
Of the “nearly 85000” overdose deaths in 2022, I would submit relatively very few of those deaths were from patients who were prescribed the “opioids”. A vast, vast majority of the deaths are from people taking non-pharmaceutical “opioids”. They bought from some dude, they don’t know, yet assured them it’s the real (insert name here) drug. Instead of the lame “one pill can kill”, thing (refer-madness). How about being honest and telling people the meds you get on the street are NOT real Rx drugs. No excuses like my, whomever, thought they were just taking a Xanax.
I wonder what would happen if illegal alcohol was flooding over the border, like Fentanyl is, and that alcohol blinded/killed 85,000 people per year. Would legal alcohol purchases, at a real store, have additional restrictions? Making it harder to purchase legal alcohol?
One last thing…
Why is it ONLY abortion that’s between a woman and her doctor? Whatever, medical deal someone has should ALL be between the patient and their doctor.
Great Reply! Only will this make sense to the Author when he really understands humans and pain. He really needs to get out of the lab and books more. He might be able to help mankind. Until then all he offers is a bunch of garbage.
I get your point my friend BUT these people buy something off “some dude” are only able to do this because some official let’s drugs through the borders because another higher ranking official ordered them to do so !! Anyone who thinks that the politicians have no part in drugs being brought into their countries are deluded!! It’s so obvious, “illegal drugs” are only on our streets because someone in charge made it okay. A war on drugs declared by the ones bringing in the drugs !!!!! It makes me sick !!!
Addiction is a complex matter as we all know, the fact these “scientists” using mice as a case study means absolutely nothing in the realm of human addiction (in my opinion) I suffered for 12 years taking brown and white together (speedball) the thing that helped me get my life back on track was a little known drug called buvidal (in combination with group therapy. there is no magic bullet to fix this issue it’s a hard graft, daily meetings, commitment, a total change of lifestyle) the drug Buvidal is a game changer for people who are ready to change ! It’s an injection once per week at first (between the skin and the fat layer) it sets like a plug and releases the drug slowly throughout the week ( the dug they use is not actually new it’s just a better delivery system) then when a person is stable they change the jab to a monthly jab which has a different ingredient which makes it release it over the month instead. It made me and other I know feel normal because with this there is no peaks and troughs you’re always on a level like before the opioids taken over (no feeling ruff in a morning) so it frees a person up to work on themselves and the issues that led them to use in the first place. I strongly advise any suffering addict to research this and see if it would benefit them.
There are various forms of self-medicating, from dangerously extreme to relatively mild, that also include non-substance-consumption addictions, like chronic shopping/spending and over-eating.
If they’re anything like drug-intoxication self-medicating or addiction, it should follow that: the greater the induced euphoria or escape one attains from it, the more one wants to repeat the experience; and the more intolerable one finds their non-self-medicating reality, the more pleasurable that escape will likely be perceived.
In other words: the greater one’s mental pain or trauma while not self-medicating, the greater the need for escape from one’s reality, thus the more addictive the euphoric escape-form will likely be.
With food, the vast majority of obese people who considerably over-eat likely do so to mask mental pain or even PTSD symptoms. I utilized that method during much of my pre-teen years, and even later in life after ceasing my (ab)use of cannabis and/or alcohol, a time when I instead solely consumed psychotropic medication prescribed by my doctor.
Today, my emotionally tumultuous existence is a continuous discomforting anticipation of ‘the other shoe dropping’ and being afraid of how badly I will deal with the negative or horrible event — that almost never transpires — and especially if I feel I’m at fault for the event.
The lasting emotional/psychological pain from such trauma is very formidable yet invisibly confined to inside the head. It is solitarily suffered, unlike an openly visible physical disability or condition, which tends to elicit sympathy/empathy from others.
It can make every day a mental ordeal, unless the turmoil is treated with some form of self-medicating, which currently for me is doctor-prescription or alcohol via wine. I dread that someday I could return to unhealthy over-eating.
My concern, as a necessary addict, is that theyre using the term “aversion”. Are they saying they want me to experience dope sickness when i take opiates, instead of when i dont. Because, ngl, i will probably always continue to take them, even if my pain was cured. I like them. Im entitled to get high. Its not hurting anyone but me. I quit drinking, which kills ppl a lot faster, and more cruelly. Dont even smoke pot. Its the one thing i have. They want to take that away from me, from us, by making opiates have the same effect as stuff like naloxen? Ill pass, and only vote for political candidates who understand my freedoms. Who dont push their total nonsensical ideas on me.
Though sympathetic, I used to look down on those who had ‘allowed’ themselves to become heavily addicted substance abusers. Yet I myself have suffered enough unrelenting PTSD symptoms to have known, enjoyed and appreciated the great release upon consuming alcohol and/or THC.
Neglecting and therefor failing people struggling with debilitating addiction should not be an acceptable or preferable political, economic or religious/morality option. But the more callous politics and politicians that are typically involved with lacking addiction funding/services tend to reflect conservative electorate and representatives’ opposition, however irrational, against making proper treatment available to low- and no-income addicts.
Too many ‘sober’ people still erroneously perceive drug addiction/addicts as simply being weak-willed and/or having committed a moral crime.
Undoubtedly, international and domestic merchants of the drug-abuse/addiction scourge must be targeted for long-overdue political action and criminal justice. But western pharmaceutical corporations have intentionally pushed their own very addictive and profitable opiate resulting in immense suffering and overdose death numbers — indeed the real moral crime — yet got off relatively lightly and only through civil litigation.
Typically societally overlooked is that intense addiction usually doesn’t originate from a bout of boredom, where a person consumed recreationally but became heavily hooked on a self-medicating substance that eventually destroyed their life and even those of loved ones.
More accurately: the greater the drug-induced euphoria or escape one attains from its use, the more one wants to repeat the experience; and the more intolerable one finds their sober reality, the more pleasurable that escape will likely be perceived. In other words: the greater one’s mental pain or trauma while sober, the greater the need for escape from reality, thus the more addictive the euphoric escape-form will likely be.
Especially when the substance abuse is due to past formidable mental trauma, the lasting solitarily-suffered turmoil can readily make each day an ordeal unless the mind is medicated.
There are an infinite number of reasons for why an individual chooses to alter their conscious state of mind and quite frankly the world would be a much better place if those who had an obsession with preventing people from doing so altered theirs once in a while. Strict enforcement of thier policies had proven time and time again to have an adverse effect and yet we’re still doing it a century later and locking human beings in cages like wild animals. If nobodys willing to address the elephant in the room how are we supposed to take something like this seriously? Even if everybody suddenly stopped taking drugs theyd just find something else to complain about….. I think too much focus is being directed towards the wrong problems and thats why youre still fighting a war thats been going on for over 50 years against an enemy who isnt fighting back and yet grows in number every year. This world has way bigger problems that need addressed and there are already safer drug alternatives available to address your opioid overdose concern.
For the record Im proposing that everyone teach their kids to explore their curiosities responsibly like they do with anything else they teach their kids and to learn from their mistakes. Any scientist who disagrees is in the wrong line of work.
I have had chronic pain for over 15 years. I’m 57 years old and at age 13 I had scoliosis surgery. This is back in 1983. It did improve my quality of life for many years, however, I am now suffering from degeneration bulging and herniated discs, spinal stenosis and radiculopathy. Not to mention a Harrington rod that has become dislodged and is covered with calcified bone. I was first prescribed oxycodone 15 years ago. I tried injections, which did not work because they “couldn’t get around the hardware“ The only alternative which isn’t even guaranteed, is revision surgery This would entail Three surgeries. The Harrington rod it self would take 8 1/2 hours to remove before they can even attempt to fix the problem. Unfortunately, oxycodone is the only medicine that relieves the intense pain I go through every day. I am one of many that have legitimate issues. Yes, I admit it is now addiction. I have to live with. Taking me off this medication, I will go through intense withdrawal as well as intense pain. I hate it that patients Like myself have to suffer with the worry of losing this medication Because it was abused by people that just used it for self gratification.
Man some of you people up in these comments just speaking ignorance. Don’t speak about something if you don’t know nothing about it! I’m not trying to be rude but come on. I love animals! I swerve every time I see a squirrel n almost wreck. But if a few rats can help us understand addiction n stop all this senseless death then i’m all for that. Sorry not sorry! I’ve lost way too many friends n family. I’m tired of watching kids have to grow up without parents! The problem started way before fentanyl became a part of the problem. Yes over prescribing was a problem 10 years ago. Hell I was able to get a script back then along with a car load of other people who had absolutely nothing wrong with them. But that has since stopped. Although it did also cause a whole other problem bc people who genuinely need the meds for real issues now can’t get them. And now the streets are flooded with fentanyl. Which is a problem bc they are putting it in everything n not saying it’s fentanyl. But the government could just produce test strips where users could test what they use. Hell I’ve seen fliers for needle exchange places now days why not free test strips for fentanyl? fentanyl is dangerous their putting it in everything even Marijuana. The government could do more! They are the problem not these people who are just doing what they can to try to help a bad situation!
It’s not a few rats. Hundreds of millions of animals are killed each year for research. This includes monkeys, dogs, cats, pigs, and many other species. The cause of human disease is mostly due to our culture and lifestyles. Trying to study that in animals is ridiculous, but it the standard of medicine. Every human disease or trauma is approximated in animals, from cancers to burns. Every form of human suffering is simulated in animals. You need to ask if the people who can do this to innocent animals are the type of people you want to trust with your healthcare. It takes psychopaths to torture animals in the name of science. So it’s not just a simple issue of killing a few rats to health humanity. Animal research reflects a deep problem with humans and their willingness to cause suffering and pain to others.
I’m an abuser of drugs.
Not addicted to drugs.
I like to get high.
At my time an choosing, not the drugs.