Grant: Project Grant - PA: IMHA: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

This study focuses on understanding why patients can become tolerant to morphine and similar pain-relieving drugs over time, leading to the need for higher doses which can result in side effects and addiction. Around 10% of Canadians using prescription opioids misuse them or develop drug use disorders, highlighting the urgency to find better treatments. We believe that a certain type of receptors in the brain, called delta opioid receptors (DOP), may play a role in morphine's effects. Over the next 5 years, we aim to: 1. Investigate how DOP affects morphine's effectiveness in relieving pain in mice with chronic inflammatory pain. We will use genetic techniques to study which parts of the brain and spinal cord DOP works in. 2. Examine how DOP influences the communication between nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain regions involved in pain control during morphine tolerance. TWe will look at changes in the levels of opioid receptors and measure electrical signals in nerve cells. 3. Explore the specific mechanisms through which DOP contributes to morphine tolerance, looking at proteins that interact with DOP and how they might be involved in tolerance development. By understanding these processes better, we hope to find new ways to improve the effectiveness and safety of opioid treatments for chronic pain, potentially improving the lives of millions of Canadians.