Opioids and the oxytocin system: Mechanistic interactions altering maternal neuroplasticity.
Due to the ongoing opioid epidemic, there has been a rise in the use of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during pregnancy. This paper examines how buprenorphine (BUP), the new golden standard for MOUD, may disrupt maternal care through dysregulation of the oxytocin (OXT) system. OXT is central to parturition,...