Brain cells that drive cue-triggered cocaine craving
Official title: Nucleus accumbens cholinergic interneurons and cue-induced cocaine craving
Funded at University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr · NIH-11458756 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how a rare type of nerve cell in the brain’s reward center affects cue-driven cocaine craving, with the goal of helping people recovering from cocaine use disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albuquerque, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00DA057360-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11458756 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is a preclinical animal project that does not enroll people, but its results would be most relevant to individuals with cocaine use disorder who experience persistent cue-triggered cravings during abstinence.
✕Less likely to help
People whose substance problems do not involve cocaine or whose relapse is not driven by environmental cues may not directly benefit from these specific findings.
What this research studies
Researchers use a rat model where animals self-administer cocaine and then go through extended abstinence to mimic relapse vulnerability in people. They focus on cholinergic interneurons (CINs) in the nucleus accumbens, tiny but influential cells that may change during abstinence and make cue-triggered craving worse. The team will manipulate CIN activity and related molecular pathways like dopamine D2 receptors and the Integrated Stress Response to see how those changes affect escalating cue-induced craving. Findings are intended to point toward cellular targets that could guide future therapies to reduce relapse risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new brain-cell targets to reduce cue-triggered cocaine craving and lower the chance of relapse for people with cocaine use disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Related animal studies show that nucleus accumbens changes, D2 receptor signaling, and ISR modulation can alter cocaine motivation, but targeting cholinergic interneurons for incubated cue-induced craving is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
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University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr
Albuquerque, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kawa, Alexander Borg — University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr
- Study coordinator: Kawa, Alexander Borg
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.