Brain synapses tied to who develops or resists alcohol problems
Official title: Synaptic Correlates of Vulnerability and Resilience to Alcohol Use Disorder
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11133321 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how changes in brain connections may make adults who binge drink more likely to develop alcohol use disorder or more resilient to it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2009 |
| Project end | January 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $433,840 |
| NIH project number | 2R01AA017531-16A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11133321 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Although the current work uses animal models, eventual human studies based on these findings would likely enroll adults with a history of heavy or binge drinking or diagnosed alcohol use disorder.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of heavy alcohol use or whose difficulties stem mainly from social or environmental causes may not directly benefit from this preclinical research.
What this research studies
If you or someone you know struggles with heavy or binge drinking, this research uses a rodent binge-drinking model designed to reach high blood alcohol levels similar to human binge episodes. Scientists focus on brain circuits, especially the amygdala, to find synaptic changes after repeated heavy exposure and withdrawal. They link those brain changes to behaviors like stronger responses to alcohol cues and weaker responses to other rewards. The goal is to reveal mechanisms that could guide future treatments to reduce craving and relapse.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify brain targets that lead to new treatments to lessen craving and prevent relapse in people with alcohol use disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Human brain imaging has repeatedly shown stronger alcohol-cue responses in people with AUD, but modeling the specific 'salience misattribution' in animals is less developed, so this project adapts existing models in a novel way.
Where this research is happening
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Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Weiner, Jeffrey L. — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Weiner, Jeffrey L.
Related research
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Attentional Ability and Brain Resilience in Teens at Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder
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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.