New research reveals previously unknown ways opioid receptors can function, opening the door to safer pain treatments.

This confocal microscope image shows midbrain neurons (red) co-expressing the mu-opioid receptor (Oprm1, white) and cannabinoid receptor 1 (Cnr1, green). The interaction of these two reward pathways ...

Having a pill that alleviates chronic pain without adverse side effects or the risk of addiction remains an unmet pharmaceutical need for millions of people currently using traditional opioid drugs.

Opioid receptors are a subset of G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). These membrane proteins transmit signals into the cell ...

Distinct brain circuits drive two key components of addiction to the synthetic opioid drug fentanyl, according to a new finding published in Nature (2024, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07440-x). The ...

An internationally recognized leader in molecular pharmacology and neurobiology, Dr. Bohn recently joined USF Health. She is ...

Having a pill that alleviates chronic pain without adverse side effects or the risk of addiction remains an unmet pharmaceutical need for millions of people currently using traditional opioid drugs.

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are proteins triggered by ligands (protein-binding chemicals) from outside cells to ...

Scientists have known for decades that opioids relieve pain by binding to molecular switches in the brain called mu-opioid (pronounced "mew-opioid") receptors. What they didn't know - until now - was ...

When the season turns darker and colder, animals’ brown fat starts to grow. The tissue produces heat efficiently and rapidly, and regulates appetite. Brown fat is also present in people. In a new ...