TY - JOUR
T1 - Epigenetic Alterations in Prescription Opioid Misuse
T2 - New Strategies for Precision Pain Management
AU - Gerra, Maria Carla
AU - Dallabona, Cristina
AU - Arendt-Nielsen, Lars
PY - 2021/8/10
Y1 - 2021/8/10
N2 - Prescription opioids are used for some chronic pain conditions. However, generally, long-term therapy has unwanted side effects which may trigger addiction, overdose, and eventually cause deaths. Opioid addiction and chronic pain conditions have both been associated with evidence of genetic and epigenetic alterations. Despite intense research interest, many questions about the contribution of epigenetic changes to this typology of addiction vulnerability and development remain unanswered. The aim of this review was to summarize the epigenetic modifications detected in specific tissues or brain areas and associated with opioid prescription and misuse in patients who have initiated prescribed opioid management for chronic non-cancer pain. The review considers the effects of opioid exposure on the epigenome in central and peripheral tissues in animal models and human subjects and highlights the mechanisms in which opioid epigenetics may be involved. This will improve our current understanding, provide the basis for targeted, personalized pain management, and thus balance opioid risks and benefits in managing chronic pain.
AB - Prescription opioids are used for some chronic pain conditions. However, generally, long-term therapy has unwanted side effects which may trigger addiction, overdose, and eventually cause deaths. Opioid addiction and chronic pain conditions have both been associated with evidence of genetic and epigenetic alterations. Despite intense research interest, many questions about the contribution of epigenetic changes to this typology of addiction vulnerability and development remain unanswered. The aim of this review was to summarize the epigenetic modifications detected in specific tissues or brain areas and associated with opioid prescription and misuse in patients who have initiated prescribed opioid management for chronic non-cancer pain. The review considers the effects of opioid exposure on the epigenome in central and peripheral tissues in animal models and human subjects and highlights the mechanisms in which opioid epigenetics may be involved. This will improve our current understanding, provide the basis for targeted, personalized pain management, and thus balance opioid risks and benefits in managing chronic pain.
KW - epigenetics
KW - prescription opioids
KW - pain
U2 - 10.3390/genes12081226
DO - 10.3390/genes12081226
M3 - Review article
C2 - 34440400
SN - 2073-4425
VL - 12
JO - genes
JF - genes
IS - 8
M1 - 1226
ER -