Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Centre for Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Division of Experimental Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
J Psychopharmacol. 2011 Nov;25(11):1415-33. doi: 10.1177/0269881110367726. Epub 2010 Jun 8.
The opioid system plays a crucial role in the neural modulation of anxiety. The involvement of opioid ligands and receptors in physiological and dysfunctional forms of anxiety is supported by findings from a wide range of preclinical and clinical studies, including clinical trials, experimental research, and neuroimaging, genetic, and epidemiological data. In this review we provide a summary of studies from a variety of research disciplines to elucidate the role of the opioid system in the neurobiology of anxiety. First, we report data from preclinical studies using animal models to examine the modulatory role of central opioid system on defensive responses conducive to fear and anxiety. Second, we summarize the human literature providing evidence that clinical and experimental human studies are consistent with preclinical models. The implication of these data is that activation of the opioid system leads to anxiolytic responses both in healthy subjects and in patients suffering from anxiety disorders. The role of opioids in suppressing anxiety may serve as an adaptive mechanism, collocated in the general framework of opioid neurotransmission blunting acute negative and distressing affective responses.
阿片系统在焦虑的神经调节中起着至关重要的作用。阿片配体和受体在生理和功能失调的焦虑形式中的参与，得到了广泛的临床前和临床研究的支持，包括临床试验、实验研究和神经影像学、遗传学和流行病学数据。在这篇综述中，我们总结了来自不同研究领域的研究，以阐明阿片系统在焦虑神经生物学中的作用。首先，我们报告了使用动物模型的临床前研究的数据，以检查中枢阿片系统对有利于恐惧和焦虑的防御反应的调节作用。其次，我们总结了人类文献，提供了证据表明临床和实验性人类研究与临床前模型一致。这些数据的含义是，阿片系统的激活既能引起健康受试者的抗焦虑反应，也能引起焦虑障碍患者的抗焦虑反应。阿片类物质抑制焦虑的作用可能是一种适应性机制，与阿片类神经传递抑制急性负面和痛苦情绪反应的一般框架相协调。
