What are opioid receptors?

Prepare for Lehne's Pharmacotherapeutics Test with comprehensive study guides, flashcards, and detailed multiple-choice questions. Each question is crafted with insights and explanations to help you understand and ace your exam effortlessly!

Opioid receptors are specialized proteins located primarily in the brain and the spinal cord that respond to opioid drugs, such as morphine and codeine. These receptors play a crucial role in modulating pain, mood, and stress responses by interacting with endogenous peptides like endorphins and enkephalins, as well as exogenous opioid substances. When activated, opioid receptors can lead to analgesia, euphoria, and sedation, making them a key target for pain management therapies.

The other choices describe different biological components or processes that do not align with the specific action or definition of opioid receptors. Peripheral nerves do indeed process pain but do not directly represent the opioid receptors themselves. Cells in the liver are involved in drug metabolism, while muscle receptors are related to motor function, neither of which pertains to the role or location of opioid receptors in the nervous system. Therefore, the assertion that opioid receptors are brain receptors affected by opioid drugs accurately captures their primary function and significance in pharmacotherapy.

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