July 6, 2023 – In a study that could have significant implications for addressing the opioid crisis, researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that manipulating specific types of brain cells inhibits the urge for the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than two-thirds of American drug-related deaths last year involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which is mixed with cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin or other illegal drugs. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine and as little as two milligrams can cause an overdose.
The study, published in Current Biology, focused on claustral neurons and their direct influence on opioid intake. The claustrum is a small subcortical nucleus that connects with large regions of the cortex, as well as with many subcortical and midbrain structures.
The researchers discovered that claustral neurons exhibited distinctive activity patterns when fentanyl was consumed by lab mice.
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