Today’s image comes from this week’s Spring Seminar speaker, Shay Neufeld. This is a part of the brain called the striatum – a nucleus important for the learning and execution of coordinated, voluntary behaviors. Labelled in green are neurons that produce ‘enkephalin’. Labelled in red are the receptors that enkephalin binds to – the mu-opioid receptors. Mu-opioid receptors are also what drugs like morphine, heroin, and codeine bind to produce feeling of rewards, and ultimately addiction. This curious mismatch of where enkephalin and its receptor are located begs the question – why are they in different places? Check out our next talk entitled “Addiction, OCD, and Riding a Bike: how opiates control your brain” THIS WEDNESDAY at 7PM to find out more! Directions and more information on our website.