Opiate drugs occupy the same receptor sites as endorphins.
Opium abuse shortens lifespans and causes physical and mental decline. Respiratory depression brought on by an acute opium overdose can be lethal. Opiates have an impact on the brain because of how closely their structure mimics that of endorphins, chemicals the body naturally produces. By occupying certain receptor sites on particular neurons (nerve cells) that are involved in the transmission of neurological signals, endorphins reduce pain and improve mood. Opiate alkaloids can bind to the same receptor sites, imitating endorphins' ability to block the transmission of pain signals to the nervous system.
Hence, Opiate alkaloids block the transmission of pain signals to the nervous system.
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