Arch Gen Psychiat
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Dysregulation of endogenous opioid emotion regulation circuitry in major depression in women.
There is extensive evidence implicating dysfunctions in stress responses and adaptation to stress in the pathophysiological mechanism of major depressive disorder (MDD) in humans. Endogenous opioid neurotransmission activating mu-opioid receptors is involved in stress and emotion regulatory processes and has been further implicated in MDD. ⋯ The results demonstrate differences between women with MDD and control women in mu-opioid receptor availability during a neutral state, as well as opposite responses of this neurotransmitter system during the experimental induction of a sustained sadness state. These data demonstrate that endogenous opioid neurotransmission on mu-opioid receptors, a system implicated in stress responses and emotional regulation, is altered in patients diagnosed with MDD.