Opiates and memory

Abstract A painful stimulus readily enters into our memory systems, such that the possibility of receiving a repeat of the stimulus invokes a ‘fearful’ apprehensive reaction, including, often, avoidance. As described by Bruce Kapp and Michela Gallagher in this article, the site of this memory system is probably based in the amygdala, and at least for ‘painful memories’ seems to involve an opiate mediation.