Research Topic: Opioid Use Disorder

Sex-specific role of the 5-HT2A receptor in psilocybin-induced extinction of opioid reward

Researchers discovered that a single dose of psilocybin can reduce opioid addiction-related behaviors in male mice by activating serotonin receptors in specific brain circuits, but this effect does not work the same way in females. The study reveals that psilocybin changes how the brain processes opioid rewards and withdrawal symptoms, suggesting psychedelics could become a new treatment approach for opioid addiction. However, important sex differences in how the brain responds mean treatments may need to be tailored differently for men and women.

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The Role of Acid-Sensing Ion Channel 1A (ASIC1A) in the Behavioral and Synaptic Effects of Oxycodone and Other Opioids

This study examines how a specific type of brain channel called ASIC1A affects how the brain responds to opioid drugs like oxycodone and morphine. Researchers found that mice without this channel showed stronger attraction to opioid-paired locations and had unusual changes in brain connections related to opioid use. The findings suggest that targeting ASIC1A could potentially be a new way to treat opioid addiction by reducing the brain’s sensitivity to these drugs.

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