Endogenous opioid antagonism in physiological experimental pain models: a systematic review.

Opioid antagonists are pharmacological tools applied as an indirect measure to detect activation of the endogenous opioid system (EOS) in experimental pain models. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the effect of mu-opioid-receptor (MOR) antagonists in placebo-controlled, double-...

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Main Authors: Mads U Werner, Manuel P Pereira, Lars Peter H Andersen, Jørgen B Dahl
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0125887
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author Mads U Werner
Manuel P Pereira
Lars Peter H Andersen
Jørgen B Dahl
author_facet Mads U Werner
Manuel P Pereira
Lars Peter H Andersen
Jørgen B Dahl
author_sort Mads U Werner
collection DOAJ
description Opioid antagonists are pharmacological tools applied as an indirect measure to detect activation of the endogenous opioid system (EOS) in experimental pain models. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the effect of mu-opioid-receptor (MOR) antagonists in placebo-controlled, double-blind studies using 'inhibitory' or 'sensitizing', physiological test paradigms in healthy human subjects. The databases PubMed and Embase were searched according to predefined criteria. Out of a total of 2,142 records, 63 studies (1,477 subjects [male/female ratio = 1.5]) were considered relevant. Twenty-five studies utilized 'inhibitory' test paradigms (ITP) and 38 studies utilized 'sensitizing' test paradigms (STP). The ITP-studies were characterized as conditioning modulation models (22 studies) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation models (rTMS; 3 studies), and, the STP-studies as secondary hyperalgesia models (6 studies), 'pain' models (25 studies), summation models (2 studies), nociceptive reflex models (3 studies) and miscellaneous models (2 studies). A consistent reversal of analgesia by a MOR-antagonist was demonstrated in 10 of the 25 ITP-studies, including stress-induced analgesia and rTMS. In the remaining 14 conditioning modulation studies either absence of effects or ambiguous effects by MOR-antagonists, were observed. In the STP-studies, no effect of the opioid-blockade could be demonstrated in 5 out of 6 secondary hyperalgesia studies. The direction of MOR-antagonist dependent effects upon pain ratings, threshold assessments and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), did not appear consistent in 28 out of 32 'pain' model studies. In conclusion, only in 2 experimental human pain models, i.e., stress-induced analgesia and rTMS, administration of MOR-antagonist demonstrated a consistent effect, presumably mediated by an EOS-dependent mechanisms of analgesia and hyperalgesia.
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spelling doaj-art-1bb602ce428b4c6890bd5279e035cdc62025-08-20T03:50:00ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01106e012588710.1371/journal.pone.0125887Endogenous opioid antagonism in physiological experimental pain models: a systematic review.Mads U WernerManuel P PereiraLars Peter H AndersenJørgen B DahlOpioid antagonists are pharmacological tools applied as an indirect measure to detect activation of the endogenous opioid system (EOS) in experimental pain models. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the effect of mu-opioid-receptor (MOR) antagonists in placebo-controlled, double-blind studies using 'inhibitory' or 'sensitizing', physiological test paradigms in healthy human subjects. The databases PubMed and Embase were searched according to predefined criteria. Out of a total of 2,142 records, 63 studies (1,477 subjects [male/female ratio = 1.5]) were considered relevant. Twenty-five studies utilized 'inhibitory' test paradigms (ITP) and 38 studies utilized 'sensitizing' test paradigms (STP). The ITP-studies were characterized as conditioning modulation models (22 studies) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation models (rTMS; 3 studies), and, the STP-studies as secondary hyperalgesia models (6 studies), 'pain' models (25 studies), summation models (2 studies), nociceptive reflex models (3 studies) and miscellaneous models (2 studies). A consistent reversal of analgesia by a MOR-antagonist was demonstrated in 10 of the 25 ITP-studies, including stress-induced analgesia and rTMS. In the remaining 14 conditioning modulation studies either absence of effects or ambiguous effects by MOR-antagonists, were observed. In the STP-studies, no effect of the opioid-blockade could be demonstrated in 5 out of 6 secondary hyperalgesia studies. The direction of MOR-antagonist dependent effects upon pain ratings, threshold assessments and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), did not appear consistent in 28 out of 32 'pain' model studies. In conclusion, only in 2 experimental human pain models, i.e., stress-induced analgesia and rTMS, administration of MOR-antagonist demonstrated a consistent effect, presumably mediated by an EOS-dependent mechanisms of analgesia and hyperalgesia.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0125887
spellingShingle Mads U Werner
Manuel P Pereira
Lars Peter H Andersen
Jørgen B Dahl
Endogenous opioid antagonism in physiological experimental pain models: a systematic review.
PLoS ONE
title Endogenous opioid antagonism in physiological experimental pain models: a systematic review.
title_full Endogenous opioid antagonism in physiological experimental pain models: a systematic review.
title_fullStr Endogenous opioid antagonism in physiological experimental pain models: a systematic review.
title_full_unstemmed Endogenous opioid antagonism in physiological experimental pain models: a systematic review.
title_short Endogenous opioid antagonism in physiological experimental pain models: a systematic review.
title_sort endogenous opioid antagonism in physiological experimental pain models a systematic review
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0125887
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