This Special Issue has been organized to showcase the research presented at the International Narcotics Research Conference (INRC) 2025, held in Bologna, Italy. The INRC annual meeting brings together leading scientists from around the globe to share the latest findings and foster collaborations in the field of narcotics research, with a particular emphasis on opioids and related systems.

This year’s conference features a diverse range of symposia, highlighting the most recent advancements in opioid research. Topics include AI-enabled drug discovery, neural dynamics of opioidergic neuromodulation, the role of the endogenous opioid system in chronic pain, and innovative pharmacological, optical, and chemical strategies to modulate opioid receptors. Additional symposia explore opioid-mediated signaling and behavior across brain regions, the opioid–nociceptin framework at multiple scales, interactions between opioids, cannabinoids, and neuroimmune mechanisms, as well as new therapeutic approaches for pain, opioid use disorder, and addiction. The program also emphasizes sex-specific mechanisms and roles for opioids beyond pain.

Papers submitted to this Special Issue should be based on work presented at the conference and/or authored by INRC 2025 attendees. The goal of this issue is to capture the scientific insights and collaborative energy of the meeting, and to disseminate them widely to advance the field.

The Special Issues welcomes submissions across a range of article types, including Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Brief Research Report, Commentary, and Editorial. For detailed descriptions of each article type, please click here.

Please note that the advertised Manuscript Submission deadline is flexible. If you require an extension, do not hesitate to contact us. For any questions, please reach out to us at: adar.office@frontierspartnerships.org.

Authors

Advances in Drug and Alcohol Research