opioid agonist

any drug with enhancing effects at opioid receptors in the central nervous system. Opioid agonists may be complete (pure) or partial agonists. Morphine is a pure opioid agonist; other examples include codeine, heroin, methadone, meperidine, and LAAM. Opioid partial agonists (e.g., buprenorphine) have lower levels of activity than complete opioid agonists at the same receptors and consequently have less analgesic activity. Also called narcotic agonist.

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Psychology term of the day

December 23rd 2024

total immersion

a program for second-language acquisition in which all instruction is in the new language and there is minimal use of the individual’s native language. In school-based immersion programs, the second language is incorporated into the teaching of other subjects, with the goal of creating a bilingual classroom. Early immersion refers to programs begun when children are in kindergarten or grade 1 and continued through the rest of elementary school.