This is the first video in a series focusing on opioid addiction and recovery.

Opioid addiction - also known as "opioid use disorder" - is a crippling condition. Like many other human health conditions, addiction is a phenomenon that is intrinsically linked to genetics, cell biology, and environmental conditions. When opioids interact with certain brain neurons, we experience an uptick in the amount of dopamine that we produce. Natural opioids (like endorphins) and synthetic opioids (like fentanyl or oxycodone) are similar in this respect. However, when synthetic opioids are taken in large doses over long periods of time, they facilitate changes in the biochemistry of certain brain neurons. This can leave someone in a state where their own natural opioids are unable to produce the amount of dopamine needed to simply feel "ok" and to function.

This video series explores the genetics, cell biology, and brain biology of opioid addiction. We also investigate the biology of opioid addiction recovery, and try to better-understand why it is such a difficult process.

For more information on the biology of opioid addiction, visit www.evo-ed.org.

Support for this work was provided by the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education program under Award No. DUE2020221