PHAR 300 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Neuropathic Pain, Fentanyl, Tamoxifen

• School: McGill University
• Department: Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Course: PHAR 300
• Professor: Edith Zorychta

Document Summary

Opioids: as previously mentioned, nsaids can be used to relieve pain, pain sensation is due to peripheral nerve endings transmitting pain signals to the brain. In the cns, pain is controlled by signals from the peripheral nervous system and by a pain suppression pathway. Pain transmission: nociceptors will sense the pain and transmit signals up to thalamus of the brain to trigger protective reflexes. Pain suppression: this descending pathway will impact the spinal cord to influence the sensation to pain. There is a sense of suffering associated with pain. Opioids act on multiple locations, including the sensation of pain. Individuals taking these drugs may still feel the pain, however, it won"t bother them as much: pain suppression of the cns may be achieved in the following ways: Endogenous opioid peptides: natural opioids synthesized by the body. Exercise and stress can stimulate the release of these peptides. Neurons that make endogenous opioids are widely distributed throughout the body.