Usefulness of knockout mice to clarify the role of the opioid system in chronic pain

What is it about?

Endogenous opioids and their receptors modulate the perception of acute pain in physiological conditions. Their function may be different during chronic pain, and this could impact chronic pain and opioid management. This review summarizes data from studies exploring chronic pain in mice lacking specific components of the opioid system, and shows that opioid function may be different during chronic inflammatory or neuropathic pain conditions.

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