Neural Substrates of Opioid Reward and Addiction: From Bench to Bedside
A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neuropharmacology and Neuropathology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2026 | Viewed by 229
Editors
Interests: neuropeptides; opioid peptides; drug reward and addiction; opioid analgesics, psychostimulants and other addictive drugs; food reward and addiction; obesity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: neuropharmacology; behavioral neuroscience; translational pathology; neurodegeneration and altered brain function
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Opioids are used to treat moderate-to-severe pain. However, their acute and chronic use leads to side effects such as respiratory depression, constipation, tolerance, dependence, and addiction, which is characterized by a loss of control over compulsive drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviors. However, the mechanisms underlying rewarding and addictive actions in opioids have not yet been fully characterized.
Recent evidence implicates neuropeptides in the rewarding and addictive effects of opioids. This Special Issue will delineate the role of neuropeptides in opioid-induced antinociception, reward, and dependence.
Preclinical research works and clinical trials using cutting-edge approaches are preferred. However, basic and clinical studies using established approaches and advancing science are also welcome.
Studies determining the role of neuropeptides in opioid-induced antinociception, reward, and reinforcement, dependence on opioids, and the negative affective states associated with opioid withdrawal are welcome. Studies that achieve the following are welcome:
- Assess the role of neuropeptides in opioid-induced antinociception, reward, and reinforcement using pharmacological tools or mutant mice lacking the peptide or its cognate receptor(s);
- Determine the role of neuropeptides in opioid tolerance and dependence using pharmacological tools or mutant mice lacking the peptide or its cognate receptor(s);
- Investigate changes in the level of neuropeptides and their cognate receptor(s) in response animal models of reward, reinforcement, tolerance, and dependence;
- Evaluate the changes in mRNA and peptide levels of these neuropeptides and their cognate receptor(s) following opioid withdrawal;
- Characterize the role of novel neuropeptides in opioid reward, reinforcement, and dependence.
Prof. Dr. Kabirullah Lutfy
Guest Editor
Dr. Syed Muzzammil Ahmad
Guest Editor Assistant
Manuscript Submission Information
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- opioids
- neuropeptides
- pain
- reward
- dependence
- withdrawal
- addiction
- side effects
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