Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bilayer membranous vesicles that facilitate intercellular communication via their secretion. EVs contain a variety of cargoes that reflect the intracellular environment of their host cells, and these cargoes can induce functional changes in recipient cells. A wide body of previous research has demonstrated that EVs play a role in a diverse range of disease pathologies as well as regular function and have emerged as promising vehicles for therapeutics and drug-delivery systems. Unsurprisingly, some work has recently been published implicating EVs in drug addiction pathways and therapeutics. Given the pressing scope of the opioid misuse and abuse in the U.S., it is necessary to consider the role of EVs in the development of opioid dependence and tolerance, as well as their role in potential therapeutics. The current review seeks to identify work investigating the role of EVs in opioid addiction and identify gaps and future directions in the literature.https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/surp2020/1024/thumbnail.jp
