Nociceptin: Nature’s Balm for the Stressed Brain

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, the National Institutes of Health and the University of Camerino in Italy have published results from a recent study confirming the importance of nociceptin — a natural stress-reducing system in the brain — which could act as a potential target for therapies against anxiety disorders and other stress-related conditions. Nociceptin is produced in the brain and belongs to the family of opioid neurotransmitters. Studies in rodents have found evidence that nociceptin can act in the amygdala (the part of the brain that controls basic emotional responses) in order to counter the usual anxiety-producing effects of acute stress. To read more about this study, click here.