Discussion 6 : Receptors & drugs

To continue our  class discussion, please read a short article  Explainer: How do drugs work (https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-do-drugs-work-48665.) .

Then answer the question below for discussion: 

Select a specific agonist drug and use cell communication terminology (i.e., identify signal molecule & describe signal reception, transduction & response) to describe how it elicits physiological response in brain cells. 

Discussion 6 : Receptors & drugs Answer

One example of an agonist drug is codeine or known to most as Fentanyl. It is one of the derivatives of morphine, meaning they come from the same source but codeine is the synthesized version of morphine meant to have lesser sedative and analgesic effect as morphine. Codeine is also a controlled drug because like morphine, it can also be addictive. When taken, the agonist drug codeine, with the same structure as morphine, competes with the natural agonist produced by the body, endorphins, in binding with agonist receptors all over the central nervous system