Opioids like oxycodone are widely prescribed for pain relief, but their addictive nature is a significant concern. In 2022, nearly 85,000 people in the U.S. died from opioid overdoses. Researchers, including Alexander Smith, Ph.D., from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), are working to uncover the mechanisms of opioid addiction to develop safer, nonaddictive alternatives.
A Breakthrough Discovery by Dr. Alexander Smith
During his post-doctoral training at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Smith made a significant discovery about how opioids affect the brain. Published in Science on June 7, his research revealed that the dorsal peduncular nucleus, a lesser-known brain region responsible for aversion, responds strongly to opioids. This finding challenges the long-held belief that opioids primarily exert their effects through dopamine pathways in the brain.
The Role of the Dorsal Peduncular Nucleus in Opioid Addiction
Smith’s study found that mu-opioid receptors, an essential subtype of opioid receptors, are abundant in the dorsal peduncular nucleus. In other regions of the brain, opioids cause a release of the mood-enhancing chemical dopamine through a process called disinhibition. This release of dopamine when opioids are consumed explains their powerfully addictive qualities. When the opioid receptors in the dorsal peduncular nucleus come into contact with opioids, they contribute to the addictive quality of opioids by directly inhibiting cells that would typically trigger an aversion to the drug. This inhibition results in negative reinforcement, enhancing the rewarding and addictive properties of opioids.
The discovery that mu-opioid receptors in the dorsal peduncular nucleus are critical for both the rewarding and aversive aspects of opioid use offers a new perspective on addiction. When these receptors were removed in mice, opioids no longer produced rewarding effects, resulting in an aversion to opioids. Additionally, mice without these receptors experienced worse withdrawal symptoms, further indicating this brain region’s role in both addiction and withdrawal.
Implications for Future Addiction Research
Smith’s findings open up new avenues for addiction research, suggesting that targeting the dorsal peduncular nucleus could lead to more effective treatments for opioid use disorder. His work also raises the possibility of developing nonaddictive pain medications by focusing on this brain region. This discovery may prove to be a significant step toward understanding and combating the opioid crisis, offering hope for better therapeutic options in the future.
Aware Recovery Care is here to help
If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction to opioids, other drugs, and/or alcohol and need help in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, or Indiana, the recovery teams at Aware Recovery Care are here to help. And we come to you, regardless of where you live. Our unique in-home treatment model of care gives clients a significantly better chance of recovery than traditional inpatient rehab care. We are now offering Virtual Detox and Medication Assisted Treatment in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Virginia, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio as well. Please get in touch with one of our Recovery Specialists to learn more.
