The Pain-Killing and Pleasurable Effects of Morphine

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Ever heard the saying laughter is the best medicine? In an article discussing research findings on the release of feel-good brain chemicals authors write, "When laughter is elicited, pain thresholds are significantly increased, whereas when subjects watched something that does not naturally elicit laughter, pain thresholds do not change and are often lower. These results can best be explained by the action of endorphins released by laughter" (Welsh).
Endorphins are produced by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus in response to stress, pain, love, sexual activity, excitement, and fear. They are chemicals that occur naturally in the brain which interact with opiate receptors to block sensations of pain and over all lead to feelings of euphoria. Hormones and neurotransmitters, such as endorphins, play a crucial role in the functioning of our bodies. Levels of endorphins in the brain can be altered by taking a number of drugs including heroin and methadone and lasting effects can ensue.
The pain-killing and pleasurable effects of morphine, the narcotic drug derived from the opium poppy, is widely known. Endorphins are surprising similarity to morphine. It was termed “endorphin” from endogenous (meaning within) and morphine (morphine being a pain killer). It was wondered why morphine and other opiate drugs should produce such powerful effects on the nervous system. Thus, the discovery of endorphins followed the realization that certain regions of the brain bound opiate drugs with high affinity. Endorphins were discovered nearly on accident in the 1970s by scientists doing research on drug addiction. It was found that the brain produces its own set of neurochemicals far more powerful than morphine but share the same receptors.
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...uestion ultimately lead to the detrimental discovery of the natural pain-killing polypeptides in the brain. Endorphins are most heavily released in the human body during stressful events or in moments of great pain. Endorphins are the natural way of toning down pain responses without turning to heavy duty opiates such as heroin and methadone. The rush of endorphins into the system at such times is often felt as a queasy or nervous feeling in the stomach. Without endorphins acting as stabilizers in our brains, the world would be filled with stress and chaos. As well as stress relief and pain tolerance, endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. In my opinion the best, most effective way to trigger more release of endorphins is through exercise. Runner’s high is an effect way to get the same euphoric feeling from endorphins.

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