BACKGROUND Preterm neonates undergo many painful procedures as part of their standard care in the neonatal intensive care unit. However, pain treatment is inadequate in many of these routine procedures. In the present study, we investigated the impact and mechanism of combined music and touch intervention (CMT) on the pain response in premature infants. METHODS Sixty-two preterm neonates (ges...

Τhe aim of this study was to examine the effects of the consumption of foods of various glycemic index values on performance, β-endorphin levels and substrate (fat and carbohydrate) utilization during prolonged exercise. Eight untrained healthy males underwent, in a randomized counterbalanced design, three experimental conditions under which they received carbohydrates (1.5 gr. kg-1 of body wei...

AIM The present study was undertaken with the objective to obtain insight into the dynamics of the release of β-endorphin, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in response to machine milking in dairy cows. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 10 healthy multiparous lactating Italian Friesian dairy cows were used in the study. Animals were at the 4(th)-5(th) month of pregnancy and were...

BACKGROUND The melanocortin (MC) peptides and opioid peptide β-endorphin are cleaved from the polypeptide precursor pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC). POMC-derived peptides are generated by extensive posttranslational processing that involves several enzymes including prohormone convertase 1/3 and 2 (PC1/3 and PC2). Because ethanol (EtOH) decreases POMC mRNA levels, we determined whether the exposure...

Abstract Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a prevalent and impairing behavior, affecting individuals with without additional psychopathology. To shed further light on biological processes that precede result from NSSI acts, we built previous cross-sectional evidence suggesting the endogenous opioid system, especially β-endorphin, involved in psychopathology of NSSI. This first study assessing s...

Abstract Background Prediabetes is characterized by a hemoglobin A1c of 5.7–6.4% and fasting blood glucose 100–125 mg/dl. A high percentage prediabetes subjects develop type 2 diabetes mellitus in the next years. The effects opioid peptides their receptors, addition to immunological cytokines, on are not well understood. Therefore, molecular, physiological, clinical studies required link system...

Background and Purpose. Dry needling is an effective therapy for the treatment of pain associated with myofascial trigger point (MTrP). However, the biochemical effects of dry needling that are associated with pain, inflammation, and hypoxia are unclear. This study investigated the activities of β-endorphin, substance P, TNF-α, COX-2, HIF-1α, iNOS, and VEGF after different dosages of dry needli...

To investigate the release profile of met-enkephalin, β-endorphin, and dynorphin-A in ruminants' CNS, goats were stimulated by electroacupuncture of 0, 2, 40, 60, 80, or 100 Hz for 30 min. The pain threshold was measured using potassium iontophoresis. The peptide levels were determined with SABC immunohistochemisty. The results showed that 60 Hz increased pain threshold by 91%; its increasing r...