Brain function in alcohol use disorder across the lifespan
Official title: Brain Function Project
Funded at Suny Downstate Medical Center · NIH-11398212 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large, long-running study looks at how genetics, brain biology, and life experiences influence alcohol use disorder from midlife into older age.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Suny Downstate Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Brooklyn, United States) |
| Project start | September 29, 1989 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,421,722 |
| NIH project number | 5U10AA008401-38 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398212 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults aged 40 and older with or at risk for alcohol use disorder and who come from diverse family backgrounds represented in the study.
✕Less likely to help
People without AUD or not in the study’s targeted age range may not directly benefit from these specific findings.
What this research studies
The project follows families affected by alcohol use disorder to map how genetic and neurobiological factors interact with social and environmental influences over time. Researchers collect brain-related data, clinical assessments, behavior measures, and biological samples to build a comprehensive view of AUD from middle age onward. This helps identify risk and resilience factors that could inform prevention and treatment in later life. The study builds on decades of data and expands to include more information from people aged 40 and older.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide personalized prevention and treatment strategies for AUD in later life.
How similar studies have gone: Longitudinal studies of AUD have yielded insights into genetic and neurobiological factors, with ongoing work showing the value of multi-domain data.
Where this research is happening
-
Suny Downstate Medical Center
Brooklyn, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Meyers, Jacquelyn Leigh — Suny Downstate Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Meyers, Jacquelyn Leigh
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Cross-talk between SARM1-driven axon damage and ferroptosis in brain hemorrhage
A study in people with brain bleeding (intracerebral hemorrhage) to understand how axons get damaged and how iron-related cell death contributes to disability.
-
Psychosis in diverse settings across the world
This project studies how psychotic disorders show up and respond to treatment in adults with diverse backgrounds, including populations in Africa, the Caribbean, and other Global South settings.
-
Psychosis in Diverse Settings: Understanding Symptoms and Treatment Across Global South
A human-facing study will look at how psychotic disorders present and respond to treatment in adults from Africa, the Caribbean, and other Global South settings, using genetic and clinical data.
-
How SPTLC3 affects aging, diet, and heart disease risk
This study looks at how a particular enzyme SPTLC3 influences aging-related insulin resistance, fatty liver disease risk, and atherosclerosis, especially when eating a high-fat diet.
-
Genetic links between PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorder in teens and adults
This grant studies how genetics and life experiences like childhood trauma shape the risk of PTSD and alcohol problems across adolescence into adulthood.
-
Understanding how to build effective mentor networks for underrepresented researchers
A project to learn what kinds of mentoring networks help researchers from underrepresented groups succeed and stay in academia.
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.