This article just blew me away..lol
Morphine Apparently in Your Head
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By Kristen Philipkoski|
Several persistent researchers finally have proof for a theory they have held for more than a decade, despite dissent from the larger scientific community: Morphine occurs naturally in the human brain.
Most scientists have been skeptical of the claim, saying previously studied samples were likely contaminated with morphine molecules. But a paper published in the Sept. 21 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences seems to put the question to rest.
Meinhart Zenk and his colleagues at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg in Germany found that human cells grown in a dish synthesized morphine.
"Without doubt, human cells can produce the alkaloid morphine," Zenk wrote in the paper. "The studies presented here serve as a platform for the exploration of the function of 'endogenous morphine' in the neurosciences and immunosciences."
In other studies, researchers had found trace amounts of morphine in human and other animal tissues, but only a handful of believers thought morphine occurred naturally in the brain. Most assumed it came from foods like hay, lettuce, milk and rabbit feed that contain the chemical.
If Zenk's paper finally convinces scientists that morphine is as natural a presence in the brain as serotonin or dopamine, it will open new doors for looking at the treatment of pain, addiction and other health issues, said George Stefano, director of the Neuroscience Research Institute at the State University of New York at Old Westbury.
Stefano also has a paper coming out in the Oct. 5 Neuroendocrinology Letters showing that animal neural tissue can synthesize morphine.
Instead of pumping patients full of morphine, Stefano said, doctors could instead give a morphine precursor -- a molecule that would set off a chain reaction eventually resulting in increased morphine production in the brain. Stefano, who has championed the existence of morphine in the brain for years, published proof of such a precursor, called reticuline, in the journal Molecular Brain Research in 2003.
The approach could circumvent dependency because it would increase an individual's own morphine levels instead of replacing natural morphine with a synthetic version. Similarly, a drug called levodopa, a precursor to dopamine, is commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease.
The discovery could also explain why some people are more susceptible to addiction -- they may have a morphine deficiency.
"All of a sudden," Stefano said, "(morphine-deficient individuals) take this compound (and) it really makes them feel not only good but normal."
A morphine deficiency could also be the cause of some chronic pain, Stefano said.
The researchers believe morphine is created by neurons in the brain, but much about the production remains mysterious. They found morphine in the limbic center, which is involved with emotions.
"That puts this new signaling molecule in a very crucial part of the brain," Stefano said. "If morphine's there, it's involved with subjective thinking."
Stefano hopes that the realization that morphine is endogenous (meaning it's produced within an organism) will lessen morphine's association with abuse, and increase the amount of research on naturally occurring morphine. With only about 15 scientists concentrating on endogenous morphine, progress is slow going.
"In science, painstaking trial and error are big part of your life," he said. "But it's much harder when most people don't believe you."
See? Its not MY FAULT...
I had a deficency of morphine in my brain...lol
Dont mean to joke, as its a serious study...its just...funny..
Gotta keep a sense of humor..
Ali
I had a deficency of morphine in my brain...lol
Dont mean to joke, as its a serious study...its just...funny..
Gotta keep a sense of humor..
Ali
The article states: "Instead of pumping patients full of morphine, Stefano said, doctors could instead give a morphine precursor -- a molecule that would set off a chain reaction eventually resulting in increased morphine production in the brain. . . .The approach could circumvent dependency because it would increase an individual's own morphine levels instead of replacing natural morphine with a synthetic version."
I'd become addicted to the precursor, no doubt. lol
I'd become addicted to the precursor, no doubt. lol
Okay, I've never heard of "morphine deficiency" but there are many who argue that there is such a thing as endorphine deficiency. I'm not sure if I believe this is a real thing or not. Of course a lot of people on methadone think they have an endorphine deficiency and that's there excuse for staying on methdone for a long time or forever. When I raised the question, how do you know you have an endorphin deficiency if there is no test that can prove it they got mad. They compare there endorphine deficiency to a diabetic who needs there insulin. That drives me nuts. I'm sure diabetics would argue that they could die without there insulin, a person is not going to die without there methadone, they might feel like they want to but they won't. My psychiatrist did tell me though that endorphin deficiency is a very real possibility. But that doesn't give a person the right to self medicate. I guess for now if a person really does have a morphine or endorphine deficiency they'll just have to find a way to live with it. God doesn't give us more then we can handle.
Shelly
Shelly
I was told that it would take my body awhile to remember how to and make its own painkillers..they never used the word morphine..but they did refer to endorphins...
From what i understood, its the old if you dont use it you lose it syndrome, and most everyone that does not use pain pills has their own natural way to fight pain...whether that be from endorphin release, "morphine" release or adrenaline release..or all of them..
The adrenals are adversely affected by regular use of narcotics, and addressing those sluggish adrenals do make an incredible difference in how you feel once you quit using...
Theres something to this Im sure..and i think the comment about the diabetic must be referring to an imbalance of sorts..
Interesting article regardless..
Peace and hugs to all
Ali
From what i understood, its the old if you dont use it you lose it syndrome, and most everyone that does not use pain pills has their own natural way to fight pain...whether that be from endorphin release, "morphine" release or adrenaline release..or all of them..
The adrenals are adversely affected by regular use of narcotics, and addressing those sluggish adrenals do make an incredible difference in how you feel once you quit using...
Theres something to this Im sure..and i think the comment about the diabetic must be referring to an imbalance of sorts..
Interesting article regardless..
Peace and hugs to all
Ali
My personal feeling is that our bodies due have their own painkillers, I suffer from chronic pain, but sinne I am looking a life differently and trying to have less drama and stress in my life ( while except what I have been going thru with my son) I feel better. I also don't focus on my pain, except when I go to get up then I am reminded. Yesterday I had major pain in my back, but today with a new attitude about life I do feel better, it hurts but have not even taken aleve today.......I am just trying to keep buzy and do things that I have let slide. I guess now that I am working on our new office ( the room my son moved out of) it has made me want the rest of the house spotless, gee I am even cleaning cupboards & fridge, ( LOL) sure has helped keep my mind off my kids.
So yes I feel we do have our own painkillers in us......we just have to realise it
Krazi/Traci
So yes I feel we do have our own painkillers in us......we just have to realise it
Krazi/Traci
Traci, How much do you charge and hour for cleaning? (LOL) Could use a few things done around here. It never ends. I'll clean one thing and before you know it it needs to be cleaned again. I am getting to old for this. Shantel
LOL Shantel,
Your funny, I just get lazy to...what people can see stays clean, ( I have a very anal husband, when he was in New York a few weeks back I did let it slide.LOL) its what they can't see that I let go......also I guess since I am on a roll I might as well do it all.LOL my back is beginning to hurt more, as I moved his gun chest and my hope chest out of our bedroom......I will wait and see once I am done and chill for the day if I can just let it go without taking anything.
Nice to see you, hope your doing better....keep your chin up
Krazi/Traci
Your funny, I just get lazy to...what people can see stays clean, ( I have a very anal husband, when he was in New York a few weeks back I did let it slide.LOL) its what they can't see that I let go......also I guess since I am on a roll I might as well do it all.LOL my back is beginning to hurt more, as I moved his gun chest and my hope chest out of our bedroom......I will wait and see once I am done and chill for the day if I can just let it go without taking anything.
Nice to see you, hope your doing better....keep your chin up
Krazi/Traci
I actually agree that people can have lower endorphine production that others.
That is probably why some of us got addicted to opiates in the first place. Many of us felt "normal" when ingesting pain meds.
I know I did.
That is probably why some of us got addicted to opiates in the first place. Many of us felt "normal" when ingesting pain meds.
I know I did.
Little Beach
OMG i just remembered when reading your post that my friend Tammy ( the one that died from taking Soma) was told that exact thing by a shrink she was seeing...
he believed that there was a certain percentage of people that subconsciously get into drugs because they lack endorphins and are just trying to feel good like most "normal" people feel....
i totally forgot about that...
theres a book called the Mood Cure that sort of says the same thing, but brings it down to ANYTHING we crave, including weird things ( dirt) or chocolate, starchy foods etc...or why some like alcohol and some not, some like coke and some not...its just the body trying to find its balance to feel well...
Its a great book...you learn a lot about amino acids etc and how they affect your brain....and how QUICKLY they can affect your brain when you have a shortage of them or reintroduce them again....
Great read for anyone- I highly recommend it..
Hugs
Ali
OMG i just remembered when reading your post that my friend Tammy ( the one that died from taking Soma) was told that exact thing by a shrink she was seeing...
he believed that there was a certain percentage of people that subconsciously get into drugs because they lack endorphins and are just trying to feel good like most "normal" people feel....
i totally forgot about that...
theres a book called the Mood Cure that sort of says the same thing, but brings it down to ANYTHING we crave, including weird things ( dirt) or chocolate, starchy foods etc...or why some like alcohol and some not, some like coke and some not...its just the body trying to find its balance to feel well...
Its a great book...you learn a lot about amino acids etc and how they affect your brain....and how QUICKLY they can affect your brain when you have a shortage of them or reintroduce them again....
Great read for anyone- I highly recommend it..
Hugs
Ali
