Author: Bethany Brookshire / Source: Science News for Students
The “opioid crisis” has made a lot of news — and for good reason. In 2016 alone, more than 42,000 people in the United States died from overdosing on these drugs.
Another 2.1 million people became addicted to these painkillers. The drugs’ deadliness comes from the way they affect the brain and other parts of the body. But these drugs have great value, too. They are, after all, some of the best painkillers known.Opioids include drugs such as morphine, heroin, fentanyl and oxycodone. The term “opioid” comes from the word “opium.” It’s a chemical that comes from poppies. For thousands of years, opium has been used to treat pain. And through the years, people also have used and abused it for pleasure.
All of these drugs work by impersonating brain chemicals known as endorphins (En-DOR-fins). Endorphins serve as messengers between nerve cells. As such, they are neurotransmitters.
When one brain cell releases endorphin molecules, they float across a gap to another cell. There they bind to receptor molecules. These sit on the outside of the target cell. The endorphin’s shape fits into the receptor like a key into a lock. When they connect, the receptor now can turn on — or off — activities inside its host cell.
Receptors for endorphins exist in the brain’s pleasure center and on nerve cells that relay pain signals. So when the body releases its natural endorphins, they not only fight pain but also contribute to a…
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