Preclinical Assessment of Opioid Tolerance: Methodological Problems and Solutions

Although opioids are the most effective treatment for pain, their use in treating chronic pain is limited by the development of tolerance with prolonged use. A major goal of preclinical research is to identify the neural mechanisms underlying opioid tolerance so these mechanisms can be disrupted to prolong the analgesic effects. Approximately 100 neural mechanisms of opioid tolerance have been reported. Some of these mechanisms are the result of distinct types of tolerance and some of these are the result of poor experimental design.
Source: The Journal of Pain - Category: Materials Science Authors: Source Type: research