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Opioid, cheating on its receptors, exacerbates pain

Nature Neuroscience volume 9, pages 1465–1467 (2006)Cite this article

Opioids are commonly thought of as compounds that alleviate pain. A new study finds that elevated levels of the opioid dynorphin can unexpectedly activate bradykinin receptors, contributing to the maintenance of neuropathic pain.

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Figure 1: Activity of dynorphin and bradykinin under physiological and pathological conditions.

Katie Ris

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 4N1, Alberta, Canada

    Christophe Altier & Gerald W Zamponi

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  1. Christophe Altier
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  2. Gerald W Zamponi
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Altier, C., Zamponi, G. Opioid, cheating on its receptors, exacerbates pain. Nat Neurosci 9, 1465–1467 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1206-1465b

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