The elevated presence of opioid receptors and their ligands throughout the developing brain points to the existence of maturational functions of the endogenous opioid system that still remain poorly understood. The alarmingly increasing rates of opioid use and abuse underscore the urgent need for clear identification of those functions and the cellular bases and molecular mechanisms underlying their physiological roles under normal and pathological conditions. This review is focused on current knowledge on the direct and indirect regulatory roles that opioids may have on oligodendrocyte development and their generation of myelin, a complex insulating membrane that not only facilitates rapid impulse conduction but also participates in mechanisms of brain plasticity and adaptation. Information is examined in relation to the importance of endogenous opioid function, as well as direct and indirect effects of opioid analogues, which like methadone and buprenorphine are used in medication-assisted therapies for opioid addiction during pregnancy and pharmacotherapy in neonatal abstinence syndrome. Potential opioid effects are also discussed regarding late myelination of the brain prefrontal cortex in adolescents and young adults. Such knowledge is fundamental for the design of safer pharmacological interventions for opioid abuse, minimizing deleterious effects in the developing nervous system.

在整个发育中的大脑中阿片受体及其配体的升高表明内源性阿片系统的成熟功能的存在仍然知之甚少。阿片类药物的使用和滥用率惊人地增加，这凸显了明确识别这些功能以及在正常和病理条件下其生理作用的细胞基础和分子机制的迫切需要。这篇综述的重点是目前关于阿片类药物可能对少突胶质细胞发育及其产生髓鞘的直接和间接调节作用的知识，髓鞘是一种复杂的绝缘膜，不仅促进快速冲动传导，而且参与大脑可塑性和适应机制。研究了与内源性阿片类药物功能的重要性以及阿片类药物类似物的直接和间接影响有关的信息，这些类似物与美沙酮和丁丙诺啡类似，用于妊娠期阿片类药物成瘾的药物辅助治疗和新生儿戒断综合征的药物治疗。还讨论了关于青少年和年轻人大脑前额叶皮质晚期髓鞘形成的潜在阿片类药物作用。这些知识对于设计更安全的阿片类药物滥用药物干预措施、最大限度地减少对发育中的神经系统的有害影响至关重要。与美沙酮和丁丙诺啡一样，用于妊娠期间阿片类药物成瘾的药物辅助治疗和新生儿戒断综合征的药物治疗。还讨论了关于青少年和年轻人大脑前额叶皮质晚期髓鞘形成的潜在阿片类药物作用。这些知识对于设计更安全的阿片类药物滥用药物干预措施、最大限度地减少对发育中的神经系统的有害影响至关重要。与美沙酮和丁丙诺啡一样，用于妊娠期间阿片类药物成瘾的药物辅助治疗和新生儿戒断综合征的药物治疗。还讨论了关于青少年和年轻人大脑前额叶皮质晚期髓鞘形成的潜在阿片类药物作用。这些知识对于设计更安全的阿片类药物滥用药物干预措施、最大限度地减少对发育中的神经系统的有害影响至关重要。