AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Opioid medications function by mimicking natural endorphins, competing for receptor binding. In the acute setting, exogenous opiates inhibit the production of endogenous opiates while in the chronic setting, exogenous opiates inhibit the production of both endogenous opiates and mu-opioid receptors.

Detailed explanation-2: -Opioids are highly addictive, in large part because they activate powerful reward centers in your brain. Opioids trigger the release of endorphins, your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters. Endorphins muffle your perception of pain and boost feelings of pleasure, creating a temporary but powerful sense of well-being.

Detailed explanation-3: -Boosting the body’s production of endorphins creates many of the same effects as opioid medications, without the risk of addiction. Both endorphins and opioids can connect to opioid receptors within the nervous system-because they have a similar molecular shape.

Detailed explanation-4: -Three major types of opioid receptors, designated mu, delta, and kappa, are widely expressed in the CNS. Development of selective receptor ligands and recent cloning of each receptor have contributed greatly to our increasing knowledge of the neuropharmacological profile of each opioid receptor type.