Simple English explanation with example
- Morphine reduces pain by blocking pain signals in the brain and spinal cord
- It attaches to special receptors that dull how strongly pain is felt
- It also makes you feel calmer and more relaxed, reducing distress from pain
- Example: after surgery, pain may still exist, but it feels much weaker and manageable
- It can cause sleepiness, which helps the body rest and recover
Scientific explanation
- Morphine is a μ-opioid receptor agonist acting in the central nervous system
- It inhibits ascending pain pathways in the spinal cord and brain
- Reduces neurotransmitter release (e.g. substance P, glutamate)
- Causes hyperpolarisation of neurons, decreasing pain signal transmission
- Also activates descending inhibitory pathways, enhancing pain suppression