Effects of Opioids on the Parental Brain in Health and Disease.

Effects of Opioids on the Parental Brain in Health and Disease. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2019 May 22;:100766 Authors: Swain JE, Shaun Ho S, Fox H, Garry D, Brummelte S Abstract The epidemic of opioid use disorder (OUD) directly affects millions of women of child-bearing age. Unfortunately, parenting behaviors - among the most important processes for human survival - are vulnerable to the effects of OUD. The standard of care for pregnant women with OUD is opioid maintenance therapy (OMT), of which the primary objective is to mitigate addiction-related stress. The aim of this review is to synthesize current information specific to pregnancy and parenting affected by OUD. We first summarize a model of the parental brain supported by animal research and human neuroimaging. We then review animal models of opioid effects on parental brain and behavior. We also present preliminary data for a unifying hypothesis that may link different effects of exogenous opioids on parenting, in the context of OMT. Finally, we discuss future directions that may inform clinical decision making for peripartum women with OUD. PMID: 31128130 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Tags: Front Neuroendocrinol Source Type: research