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

Opioid addiction has both an environmental and a genetic component. On the genetic side, one of the key genes that seems to be involved is the gene responsible for the Opioid Receptor Mu-1 protein. Small, subtle changes in the nucleotide sequence of this OPRM1 gene can increase, or decrease a person's susceptibility to opioid addiction (depending on the change).

Throughout this video series we explore 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