Frontal brain changes linked to alcohol relapse
Medial Prefrontal Cortical Gliogenesis and Alcohol Dependence
This work looks at how changes in a frontal brain area and blood–brain barrier problems may lead to relapse in adults with alcohol use disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Medical Research Fdn/san Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11166530 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team uses a rat model that mimics cycles of heavy drinking and forced abstinence to study relapse-like drinking, comparing males and females. They focus on the medial prefrontal cortex and measure blood–brain barrier markers (for example PECAM-1) and signs of new cell growth, isolating endothelial cells and performing RNA sequencing to find molecular changes. They also test drugs that block new blood-vessel growth to see if those treatments normalize markers and reduce relapse-like drinking, with earlier data showing stronger effects in female animals. Findings aim to reveal brain vulnerability factors that could point toward treatments to help people stay abstinent.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder, especially those currently abstinent and worried about relapse, would be most relevant.
Not a fit: People without alcohol use disorder, those under 21, or those whose relapse is driven mainly by social or psychiatric issues rather than brain biology may not directly benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could point to new ways to prevent relapse by targeting blood–brain barrier stability or abnormal cell growth in the frontal brain.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal work from this group showed that blocking angiogenesis reduced relapse-like drinking and normalized PECAM-1 in female rats, but similar approaches have not yet been proven in humans.
Where this research is happening
San Diego, United States
- Veterans Medical Research Fdn/san Diego — San Diego, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mandyam, Chitra D — Veterans Medical Research Fdn/san Diego
- Study coordinator: Mandyam, Chitra D
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.