Abstract
Opioid addiction has been identified as a chronic disease distinguished by psychological and physical drug dependence, withdrawal, high susceptibility toward relapse, and high mortality. These side and adverse effects are the main reasons behind the limited use of highly effective opioids for relief from moderate to severe pain. Currently, the upregulation of the secondary cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling pathway after chronic opioid exposure is most widely associated with the development of opioid addiction. In this chapter, we will briefly discuss well-accepted secondary cAMP signaling and new ideas that have helped in understanding this important pathway. We will then explore the role of cAMP signaling underlying the development of opioid dependence and assess its therapeutic implications for the treatment of opioid dependence and withdrawal. The chapter will finish with a discussion of how the cAMP signaling pathway can provide a highly potential drug target in the treatment strategy against opioid addiction.
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