During a PRF webinar on January 28, 2020, Anna Taylor discussed her lab’s work exploring the relationship between the gut microbiome and opioid use and misuse. After her talk, there will be a question-and-answer period moderated by Hamid Akbarali.
- Anna Taylor, PhD, University of Alberta, Canada
- Hamid Akbarali, PhD, Virginia Commonwealth University, US
Listen to the webinar
Here is an abstract of Taylor’s talk:
The gut-brain signaling axis has a profound influence on a wide range of behaviors and disease outcomes. Notably, the commensal bacteria resident in the gastrointestinal system can influence behaviors related to stress, anxiety, and pain. Given that opioid receptors are densely expressed in the gut, it is not surprising that opioids can influence the composition of gut bacteria and the function of the GI tract. How these changes contribute to the analgesic efficacy and abuse liability of opioids is just beginning to be explored. In this webinar, I will review the evidence indicating a bi-directional relationship between the gut microbiome and opioid use and misuse. I will present results from our lab indicating that the gut microbiome is involved in development of opioid withdrawal symptoms. These results will be discussed within the greater context of literature examining gut microbiome effects on opioid analgesia, tolerance, and reinforcement. Finally, I will discuss potential mechanisms by which the gut communicates with the brain to mediate opioid responses, and the potential implications these discoveries carry for pain management and opioid use disorder treatment.
About the presenter
Anna Taylor is an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Alberta in Canada. She received a PhD from McGill University in the McGill Pain Center and completed postdoctoral training at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the Hatos Center for Opioid Pharmacology. As such, her research spans the fields of opioid addiction and chronic pain, and research projects incorporate both of these models. Taylor’s research interests lie within understanding the molecular and circuit-level changes that contribute to chronic pain and opioid addiction, particularly in the affective and motivational domains. Her lab uses a variety of preclinical models, behavioral assessment, and imaging techniques to probe these questions.
About the moderator
Hamid Akbarali is the Harvey Haag Professor of Pharmacology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He received his BSc (Hons) from University of London, UK, and in 1988 received his PhD from Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary, Canada, Akbarali joined Harvard Medical School, where he was an assistant professor of medicine until 2000. Akbarali’s current research interest is the mechanisms of opioid effects on gastrointestinal function. He has been particularly focused on the role of the gut microbiome in opioid tolerance. His research is funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Want some background reading for the webinar? See the papers under Related Content in the right column of this page. Also visit the Taylor lab website.
Join the conversation about the webinar on Twitter. @PainResForum #PRFWebinar
See previous PRF webinars here.