Brain circuits that drive escalating and binge drinking
Circuitry Underlying Escalation and Frontloading of Alcohol Drinking
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · NIH-11238476
This project looks at how specific brain circuits change with heavy or binge drinking to help people with alcohol use disorder.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11238476 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers use two mouse models that mimic binge and high-intensity drinking to study why alcohol intake escalates and why some individuals frontload drinking. They measure alcohol-seeking and taking using operant self-administration and conditioned place preference tests while recording neural activity. The focus is on excitatory activity in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) and how it changes after excessive drinking, with attention to sex differences such as stronger effects seen in females. Results will be used to identify circuit-level changes that could guide future treatments for problematic drinking.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with alcohol use disorder or those who regularly engage in binge or high-intensity drinking would be the population most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People without problematic alcohol use or those whose primary concern is a different substance or medical condition are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to specific brain circuit targets for treatments to reduce binge drinking and prevent escalation of alcohol use disorder.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies have linked striatal circuits to alcohol-related behaviors, but applying these two high-intake models and focusing on DMS excitatory changes and sex differences represents a relatively novel extension.
Where this research is happening
INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES
- INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS — INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: LOGRIP, MARIAN LEE — INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- Study coordinator: LOGRIP, MARIAN LEE
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.