Α-ENDORPHIN

Description

Endorphin is an endogenous morphine secreted from the pituitary. Sources are corticotropes in the pars distalis and melanotropes in the pars intermedia. The fact that END is derived from a precursor protein called proopiomelanocortin (POMC) was demonstrated in 1979 using the pars intermedia in the bovine pituitary.

Clinical Use

There is a correlation between endogenous opioid peptides, especially β-END, and alcohol abuse. The consumption of alcohol activates the endogenous opioid system. The consumption of alcohol results in an increase in β-END levels in the brain regions that are associated with reward. However, it has also been observed that habitual alcohol consumption leads to β-END deficiency. People with a genetic deficit in β-END are particularly susceptible to alcoholism. The plasma levels of β-END in subjects genetically at high risk of excessive alcohol consumption show lower basal activity of β-END. Recently, β-END has been shown to play a role in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder in addition to a variety of physiological functions such as cardiovascular regulation and several kinds of behavior and stress responses.