OU center focuses on chronic pain
OU center focuses on chronic pain
By Jim Killackey
Published: May 19, 2007
Making medications more effective with fewer risks to severe and chronic pain sufferers is a major research development for scientists at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City.
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Why and how
OU researchers wanted to know why and how that happened.
They used brain cells and found that nociceptin activated a specific enzyme that made those brain cells less sensitive to morphine — suggesting why patients needed more morphine to get the same amount of pain relief over time.
Previous research had not shown that direct link.
"Our next step is to determine specifically where in the brain or spinal cord nociceptin is working to reduce morphine's effectiveness,” she said.
That's important for determining where other medications could be given to target drug therapy.
OU researchers now want to help find a way — most likely with new drugs — to reduce the development of morphine tolerance and help doctors more effectively treat patients with chronic pain.
"Our hope is to find alternatives to help doctors more effectively treat the pain and vastly improve the quality of life of patients,” she said.

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