Brain cells (magenta) in the reward center of a rat’s brain release dopamine in response to opioids. According to a new study by WashU Medicine researchers, male and female rats with a chronic pain ...

While opioids are incredibly powerful pain management tools, they can also be highly addictive. Since 2013, the rate of deaths from an overdose due to synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, has steadily ...

For many Americans, a routine surgical procedure serves as their first introduction to opioid pain medication. While most stop using these drugs as they heal, a considerable number of "opioid-naïve" ...

Certain social determinants and psychological factors may elevate a person’s risk for new persistent opioid use after surgery, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.Enrollment in Medicaid ...