Project Narrative. 2 to 3 sentences maximum. For NIH and other PHS agencies applications, this attachment will reflect the second component of the Project Summary: Relevance. Using no more than two or three sentences, describe the relevance of this research to public health. In this section, be succinct and use plain language that can be understood by a general, lay audience. A separate Research Plan component is required for NIH and other PHS agencies applications.
Methadone is a powerful narcotic. It can cause some people to feel drowsy, dizzy, or light-headed. People taking methadone should not drive a car or operate machinery. Intentional or accidental overdose of methadone can lead to unconsciousness, coma, or death.
On the one hand, methadone is an opiate itself, binding to and activating mu-opioid receptors in the brain. It's this action which makes methadone a an opiate substitute that reduces cravings for harder opiates with more abuse potential, like heroin, morphine or fentanyl. Methadone does block the euphoric or mood-elevating effects of harder opiates. In other words, methadone activates mu-opioid receptors (just like morphine or heroin), but in a manner that doesn't elicit euphoria.