Opioids and their Effects

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to opiates, opioids, their effects, therapeutic uses, mechanisms of action, and overdose treatment.

Opium poppy

Plant from which opiates like morphine and codeine are derived.

Morphine

A potent opiate used primarily for pain relief, discovered in 1884.

Opioid receptors

Receptors in the brain that mediate the effects of opiates.

Nociceptors

Pain receptors that respond to tissue damage, transmitting signals to the brain.

Endogenous opioids

Naturally occurring peptides such as enkephalins, endorphins, and dynorphins that bind to opioid receptors.

µ-receptor

A type of opioid receptor that has high affinity for morphine and mediates its effects.

Fentanyl

A synthetic opioid that is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine.

Naloxone (Narcan)

A competitive opioid receptor antagonist used to treat opioid overdose.

Tolerance

A condition in which a person needs to take a larger dose of a drug to achieve the same effect.

Withdrawal symptoms

Physical and psychological symptoms experienced when stopping or reducing opioid use.

Therapeutic uses of opioids

Include pain management, sleep aid, cough relief, and anti-diarrhea.

GABAergic neurons in the VTA

Neurons that express µ-receptors, influencing the release of dopamine.

Dynorphins

Endogenous opioids that bind to κ-receptors, mediating various effects.

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR)

A large family of receptors to which opioid receptors belong.

Postsynaptic inhibition

Decreased likelihood of a neuron firing due to the opening of K+ channels.

Presynaptic inhibition

Reduction in neurotransmitter release due to the closing of Ca2+ channels.

Pain transmission pathway

The pathway through which nociceptors send pain signals to the brain, involving spinal cord and thalamus.

Opioid analgesics

Pain relief medications that act on opioid receptors, such as morphine.

Overdose

A potentially fatal condition resulting from taking an excessive amount of a drug.

Brainstem respiratory nuclei

Regulate breathing and are affected by opioids, leading to respiratory depression.