Researchers make heroin addiction breakthrough

The world's principle pain relief drugs may become even more effective and less addictive, thanks to a breakthrough by Australian and US scientists.

Research by the Universities of Adelaide and Colorado discovered not only the key to what causes addiction to opioid like morphine and heroin, but also the means to block it.

A drug called "plus naloxone" can turn off an immune receptor in the brain that amplifies opioid addiction, boosting pain relief while blocking the habit-forming high.

Dr Mark Hutchinson from the University of Adelaide was part of the research group. "We've discovered that the immune cells and immune signalling in the reward centres of the brain are pivotal to creating morphine opioid reward. If we block that, we're able to mitigate or reduce the opioid reward making morphine a much better analgesic without the abuse potential."

Addiction treatment services say it's a potentially very significant finding.

"Nationally, you'd be looking at probably 100,000 people being prescribed opioid medications for chronic non-malignant pain each year."