Media release

From: Society for Neuroscience

Opioid withdrawal abruptly disrupts amygdala circuit function by reducing peptide actions

Withdrawal from chronic opioid use uncovers a myriad of changes in how opioid-sensitive cells function and we know that these changes cause physical withdrawal symptoms.  In this study Gregoriou et al. found that withdrawal also disrupts neural circuits in the amygdala that are important for emotional learning and memory. 

The authors found that withdrawal rapidly increased peptidase breakdown of peptides, including endogenous opioids, and as a result disrupts peptide control of GABAergic and glutamatergic neural circuits. This disruption of amygdala function likely participates in the disrupted reward learning and memory formation that motivate relapse and contribute to compulsive opioid use.