Inhibition of glutamatergic transmission and neuronal excitability by oxycodone in the rat hippocampal CA3 neurons

Opioid Receptor-Mediated Regulation of Neurotransmission in the Brain

Opioids mediate their effects via opioid receptors: mu, delta, and kappa. At the neuronal level, opioid receptors are generally inhibitory, presynaptically reducing neurotransmitter release and postsynaptically hyperpolarizing neurons. However, opioid receptor-mediated regulation of neuronal function and synaptic transmission is not uniform in expression pattern and mechanism across the brain. The localization of receptors within specific cell types and neurocircuits determine the effects that endogenous and exogenous opioids have on brain function. In this review we will explore the similarities and differences in opioid receptor-mediated regulation of neurotransmission across different brain regions. We discuss how future studies can consider potential cell-type, regional, and neural pathway-specific effects of opioid receptors in order to better understand how opioid receptors modulate brain function.

Dual mechanisms of opioid-induced respiratory depression in the inspiratory rhythm-generating network

The analgesic utility of opioid-based drugs is limited by the life-threatening risk of respiratory depression. Opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD), mediated by the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), is characterized by a pronounced decrease in the frequency and regularity of the inspiratory rhythm, which originates from the medullary preBötzinger Complex (preBötC). To unravel the cellular- and network-level consequences of MOR activation in the preBötC, MOR-expressing neurons were optogenetically identified and manipulated in transgenic mice in vitro and in vivo. Based on these results, a model of OIRD was developed in silico. We conclude that hyperpolarization of MOR-expressing preBötC neurons alone does not phenocopy OIRD. Instead, the effects of MOR activation are twofold: (1) pre-inspiratory spiking is reduced and (2) excitatory synaptic transmission is suppressed, thereby disrupting network-driven rhythmogenesis. These dual mechanisms of opioid action act synergistically to make the normally robust inspiratory rhythm-generating network particularly prone to collapse when challenged with exogenous opioids.