Word: enkephalins
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...mind chemicals also hold promise for controlling emotional pain. Because the emotion-controlling amygdala region of the brain is rich in enkephalin receptors, scientists speculate that the molecules may act as a defense against disappointments and trauma. At the Salk Institute, Floyd Bloom is studying the possibility that endorphins may be involved in the pleasure received from alcohol and opiates. Once a person begins taking heroin, say, the natural production of endorphins may decrease. Thus, if addicts try to go cold turkey, the agony of withdrawal is severe. If scientists can create nonaddictive chemicals that bind, like the opiates...
...discoveries also help explain narcotic addiction. Scientists speculate that under normal conditions, enkephalins bind to a certain number of receptor sites. Morphine acts to relieve pain by filling the remaining sites. But too much morphine overloads the system, causing enkephalin production to be cut off. More morphine is needed to fill the receptors and produce relief. If the narcotic is then withheld, all the receptors remain empty, resulting in typical withdrawal symptoms. With this knowledge, researchers hope to design nonaddictive pain relievers...
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