Nerve cell calcium as a messenger for opiate and endorphin actions.

The studies outlined in this chapter provide convincing evidence for the role of calcium in pharmacological and biochemical actions of opiates on the central nervous system. The ability of the synaptosomes to accumulate excess calcium during narcotic exposure represents a singular major example of cellular adaptation at the level of the membrane. These findings together with the possibility that CDR and calcium may mediate a number of processes involving neurotransmitter activity provide many avenues for the future study of opiates and other central nervous system depressants.