Honor thy parents: And thy opioids?



Met-Enkephalin Model (ElaineMeng)

Those who have righteously fulfilled the Fifth Commandment

from childhood on might wish to thank their God-given opioids. 

MSN Health reports that behavioral scientists at Duke University

are researching the possible link between the easygoing natures of

children who manage to get along well with “impaired” parents and the endogenous opioids that exist in their young bodies.  Some

offspring are said to possess a “resilience gene” (one type of mu-

opioid receptor) which makes them more sensitive to their own

opioids.  These youngsters might therefore be experiencing a

take-the-edge-off-the-situation biochemical assistance that

their feistier siblings aren’t.

This OPRM1 mu-opoid receptor gene has previously been studied in monkeys and mice.  According to biowww.net, OPRM1 “encodes the mu opoid receptor.”  This receptor is not only the primary interaction site for exogenous opioids such as morphine and heroin, but is also the primary interaction site for endogenous opioids such as beta-endorphin and the enkephalins. 

Beta-endorphin, located in neurons of both the hypothalamus and the pituitary, is said to have more than 80 times the pain-killing effects of morphine.  It is also known to promote feelings of relaxation and well-being.  Answers.com reports that beta-endorphin can even boost the immune system and slow the growth of cancer cells.

Enkephalins are found in the brain thalamus, as well as in some parts of the spinal cord.  According to anaspec.com, enkephalins within the spinal cord “inhibit painful sensations by reacting with specific receptor sites on the sensory nerve endings.”

If some children are genetically receiving “hits” of beta-endorphin and enkephalins whenever the pain of impaired parenting rears its throbbing head, while others are left to ferret out some meager relief on their own, which group might find it inherently easier to follow the Fifth Commandment?

It doesn’t take a bunch of endorphin-drenched brain cells to figure that one out…

Resources

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/addiction/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100269840

http://biowww.net/gene/gene-OPRM1.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/beta-endorphin

http://www.anaspec.com/products/productcategory.asp?id=165

Copyright February 20, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved