Description
α-Endorphin exhibits much of the same properties as β-endorphin, being an endogenous opioid peptide that acts as an agonist at μ-opioid receptors (μORs) and exhibits immunomodulatory, neuromodulatory, antidepressant, and antinociceptive/analgesic activities. This peptide, like other endogenous opioids, plays a significant role in reward and reinforcement signaling, especially in brain regions such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc). α-Endorphin release is induced during exercise and shows antidepressant activity in clinical studies.
