How can endorphins cause addiction and withdrawal? (Official Guide)

[663697]

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I answered these 2 questions pretty much from prior knowledge of how cutting off an addictive stimulus would lead to withdrawal. However, I'm wondering how or why withdrawal is caused on a physiological level. For example, how would reducing the addictive stimulus of exercise in this example lead to withdrawal symptoms? Also, if an opiate like morphine mirrors the effects of endorphins, why would introducing morphine cause a decline in the addictive behavior?

 

[PaulTownMD]

Endorphins and opiates/opioids act on a class GPCRs called opioid receptors. The mechanism behind withdrawal in this case is due to reduced agonism of the opioid receptors, primarily the μ opioid receptor (MOR) in humans. Over time, the body adapts to increased MOR activation by enhancing the feedback mechanisms that regulate the response to MOR activation (i.e. developing tolerance through increased beta-arrestin and RGS expression, which are a part of the negative feedback loop in GPCR activation). Introducing morphine or other opiates/opioids will decrease the need for endorphins and thus reduce the incentive to exercise.

 

[663697]

Endorphins and opiates/opioids act on a class GPCRs called opioid receptors. The mechanism behind withdrawal in this case is due to reduced agonism of the opioid receptors, primarily the μ opioid receptor (MOR) in humans. Over time, the body adapts to increased MOR activation by enhancing the feedback mechanisms that regulate the response to MOR activation (i.e. developing tolerance through increased beta-arrestin and RGS expression, which are a part of the negative feedback loop in GPCR activation). Introducing morphine or other opiates/opioids will decrease the need for endorphins and thus reduce the incentive to exercise.

So do the opiates/opioids act as a separate source of "artificial" endorphins? Meaning that they provide the same stimulation that the exercise endorphins give them, therefore they substitute the need for exercise with a need for the drugs?

 

[PaulTownMD]

Yeah, opioids and endorphins act on the same receptors so they can be used interchangeably. Decrease exercise and increase morphine or increase exercise and decrease morphine