In 1957 Otto SCHAUMANN, one of the pionieers in pharmacological research on morphine and the first to prepare synthetic opiates, presented a mono graph entitled "Morphin und morphiniihnliche Verbindungen" as Volume 12 of the Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology. Now, 35 years later, we are publishing in the same series a new comprehensive volume covering the present status of opioid research. Since that time the topic has expanded enormously. The identification of opioid receptors and the detection of their endogenous ligands were landmarks which opened a new era in opioid research and fertilized the entire field of neurobiology. The rapid develop ment of this field is illustrated in the figure, which represents the number of papers published on opioid research since 1970 (searches performed on the MEDLINE data base). 3000

Section E: Pharmacology and Behavior

31 Brainstem Mechanisms of Pain Modulation: Anatomy and Physiology
32 Supraspinal Opioid Receptors in Antinociception
33 The Spinal Actions of Opioids
34 Peripheral Mechanisms of Opioid Analgesia
35 Acupuncture and Stimulation Produced Analgesia
36 Multiple Opioid Systems and Chronic Pain
37 Gastrointestinal Effects of Opioids
38 Role of Endogenous Opioids in Central Cardiovascular Regulation and Dysregulation
39 Physiological Functions of Opioids: Temperature Regulation
40 Opioid Mechanisms in the Control of Food Consumption and Taste Preferences
41 Opioids in Respiration and Vomiting
42 Opioid Systems and Stress
43 Role of Endogenous Opioid and Opioid Receptors in Central Nervous System Injury
44 Opioids: Epilepsy and Neuroprotection
45 Opioids in Immunologic Processes
46 Effect of Opioids on the Spontaneous Behavior of Animals
47 Involvement of Opioid Peptides in Learning and Memory
48 Establishing Correlations Between the Pharmacodynamic Characteristics of Opioid Agonists and Their Behavioral Effects
Section F: Neuroendocrinology
49 Opioid Peptides in the Regulation of Anterior Pituitary Hormones
50 Opioids and the Neuroendocrine Control of Reproduction
51 Opioids in the Neurohypophysial System
52 Opioids Peptide Expression in Peripheral Tissues and Its Functional Implications
Section G: Reinforcement - Tolerance/Dependence
53 Opioid Tolerance and Physical Dependence and Their Relationship
54 Opioid Tolerance/Dependence in Isolated Organs
55 Opioid Abuse Liability Assessment in Rhesus Monkeys
56 Motivational Effects of Opioids
Section H: Clinical Aspects
57 CSF Opioids in Pathophysiology
58 Circulating Opioids in Man
59 Opioid Analgesics in Clinical Pain Management.-60 Opioids in Operative Anesthesia
61 ?-Endorphin in Human Reproduction
62 Opioids in the Etiology and Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders
63 Opioid Addiction.