How Suboxone Works in the Brain (Video)

What the Video Covers About Suboxone and the Brain

• Duration: 2:24
• Synopsis: This 2:24 video shows how opioids bind to receptors in the brain and how repeated use changes them. It then covers where Suboxone fits into treatment for opioid use disorder.

How Buprenorphine and Naloxone Act on Opioid Receptors

Suboxone combines buprenorphine and naloxone in a film that dissolves under the tongue or inside the cheek. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, so it attaches to the same receptors full opioids use while producing a weaker effect. That effect has a ceiling even as the dose goes up. Reduced withdrawal symptoms and cravings come from that partial activity, and buprenorphine can also block other opioids from reaching the same receptors. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, included to discourage misuse through routes other than the one prescribed. Our guide to how Suboxone works covers side effects and treatment cost.