ABSTRACT
Aerobic physical activity can induce a sensation of well-being, as well as influence a variety of autonomic functions in the postexercise period. The discovery of endogenous opioid peptide-containing neurons and opioid receptors in nuclei of the CNS (where autonomic functions are modulated), as well as the elevation of endogenous opioids in blood after exercise, has prompted research to elucidate the role of opioids in behavioral regulation during and after exercise.
