Adding guanfacine and mindfulness to buprenorphine care for opioid use disorder
Combined guanfacine and mindfulness meditation as an adjunct to buprenorphine maintenance in OUD
People on buprenorphine for opioid use disorder will get guanfacine, mindfulness training, both, or neither to help reduce stress- and cue-driven cravings and support staying in treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195025 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are on buprenorphine for opioid use disorder, this randomized study will assign participants to one of four groups in a 2x2 design: guanfacine extended release (GXR), a mindfulness program called MORE, both GXR and MORE, or neither, with 80 people planned. GXR will be given for six weeks (target dose 3 mg) while MORE provides behavioral mindfulness sessions aimed at reducing cue-driven craving. The goal is to compare how each approach, alone and combined, affects stress- and cue-provoked craving and treatment adherence. This phase of the project focuses on whether these additions help clinically, with later work planned to study brain mechanisms if they look promising.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with opioid use disorder who are currently receiving buprenorphine maintenance treatment and can attend study visits are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People not on buprenorphine, those with medical reasons they cannot take guanfacine, or those unable or unwilling to participate in mindfulness sessions may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, adding guanfacine and/or mindfulness could lower cravings, reduce relapse risk, and help people stay on buprenorphine longer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows guanfacine and mindfulness-based therapies can each reduce stress- or cue-related craving, but combining them as an adjunct to buprenorphine is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ray, Suchismita — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Ray, Suchismita
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.