BJP CPD Online e-learning site
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kosterlitz, H. W.
Right arrow Articles by Hughes, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kosterlitz, H. W.
Right arrow Articles by Hughes, J.

The British Journal of Psychiatry 130: 298-304 (1977)
© 1977 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Peptides with morphine-like action in the brain

HW Kosterlitz and J Hughes

The reasons which led to the search in the brain for substances with morphine-like actions actions are discussed. Two pentapeptides, methionineenkephalin and leucine-enkephalin, were isolated. The amino acid sequence of methionine-enkephalin occurs also in the pituitary prohormone beta-lipotropin, of which longer fragments (endorphins) of up to 31 amino acids exhibit strong morphine-like action. The physiological significance of these short and long opioid peptides is discussed, particularly with regard to their possible roles as neurotransmitter or neuromodulator. With regard to the mechanisms involved in the development of tolerance to and dependence on opiates, the importance of interaction between the endogenous opioid peptides and the exogenous opiate alkaloids is stressed. The possible therapeutic implications are discussed briefly.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ScienceHome page
J. Barker, J. Neale, T. Smith Jr, and R. Macdonald
Opiate peptide modulation of amino acid responses suggests novel form of neuronal communication
Science, March 31, 1978; 199(4336): 1451 - 1453.
[Abstract] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
Copyright © 1977 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.