THE NEUROCHEMISTRY OF MORPHINE ADDICTION IN THE NEOCORTEX

Different stategies have been used in an attempt to understand the neu robiology of opioid addiction. Here, Michele Simonato initially discus ses the identification of key anatomical areas involved in the phenome non and purposes an explanation of opioid addiction based on the theor y of complexity. The variable importance of direct and indirect effect s in phenotypically different neuronal populations can imply differenc es in the adaptive changes that occur with chronic morphine exposure. Opioid addiction is therefore proposed as a complex multicellular even t, where individual neurones differentially adapt both on the basis of the signals they receive and of their second messengers and genetic p rogrammes.