In March, researchers visualized opioid receptors for the first time, when two independent groups reported X-ray crystal structures of two family members, the mu (μ) and kappa (κ) receptors (see…
In people, loss-of-function mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7 result in total insensitivity to pain. Replicating that absolute loss of pain perception in animals has proven a challenge—globally knocking…
Morphine and other opioids can provoke neuroinflammation by activating the innate immune system’s Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), but just how the compounds turn on TLR4 signaling has been unclear. A…
Over the last decade, clinical studies have hinted that opioids, used after cancer surgery, may promote the growth or recurrence of tumors, but the data have been mixed. The April…
Many gene variants are linked to chronic pain and analgesic response, but more often than not, their function is unclear. A study published online March 25 in Nature Medicine bucks…
