Genes that shape brain circuits linked to substance use-related behaviors
Official title: Integrating genetic and circuit variation to identify genes involved in behaviors related to substance use disorder
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11358441 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how certain genes influence brain circuits that control behaviors associated with substance use disorders, using advanced mouse models to map these connections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $703,981 |
| NIH project number | 5U01DA059695-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11358441 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with SUD-related conditions or risk profiles who may benefit from future therapies informed by circuit- and gene-level insights (note: this grant studies animal models and genetic concepts, not a direct patient enrollment trial).
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient participation is not part of this grant; results will inform future studies rather than provide immediate patient treatment.
What this research studies
This project looks at how genetic differences affect a specific brain circuit involved in anxiety-related behaviors that often accompany substance use disorders. By using optogenetics, researchers will activate the ventral hippocampus to lateral hypothalamus pathway in several mouse strains to measure differences in anxiety-like behavior. They will map which genes are responsible for these differences by crossbreeding diverse mice and performing genetic analyses on the resulting offspring. The study aims to connect circuit function to genetic mechanisms, offering new ideas about why some individuals may be more prone to substance use disorders. The work is designed to reveal targets for future therapies by linking behavior, brain circuits, and genes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could identify new genetic and circuit-based targets for treating or preventing substance use disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that linking brain circuits with genetics can reveal mechanisms underlying complex behaviors, though this specific mechanism-to-gene approach in SUD is innovative.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Flint, Jonathan — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Flint, Jonathan
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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.