Genetic links between alcohol or opioid problems and depression
Official title: Genetic architecture of substance use disorders and major depression
Funded at Philadelphia VA Medical Center · NIH-11132714 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking for genes that may help explain why some people, especially Veterans, have both alcohol or prescription opioid problems and major depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Philadelphia VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2CX002336-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11132714 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are U.S. Veterans with a history of alcohol use disorder or prescription opioid use disorder, with or without major depressive disorder, who can provide genetic data and access to their medical records.
✕Less likely to help
People without substance use or depressive disorders, non-Veterans, or those unwilling to share genetic samples or medical records are unlikely to directly participate or benefit.
What this research studies
From my point of view, the team uses genetic data and health records from a large Veteran cohort to compare people with alcohol use disorder or prescription opioid use disorder, with and without major depressive disorder. They refine how they define substance problems so people are grouped more consistently and then look for shared genetic patterns. By analyzing many well-defined cases and controls and applying methods to probe causal relationships, they aim to identify genetic pathways that link addiction and depression. The project also focuses on including people of African ancestry to make the findings more broadly applicable.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal biological risk factors that help with better prediction, prevention, or more targeted treatments for people with co-occurring substance use disorders and depression.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large genetic studies have identified risk variants for addiction and for depression separately, but combining refined case definitions to explain their co-occurrence—especially in Veterans and people of African ancestry—is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Philadelphia VA Medical Center
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hartwell, Emily — Philadelphia VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Hartwell, Emily
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Genetic factors behind alcohol and opioid use disorders and depression in veterans
A study using genetic data from veterans to understand how genes contribute to co-occurring alcohol use, prescription opioid use, and depression.
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Understanding the genetic links between substance use disorders and major depression
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Improving contraception decisions for women with substance use disorders after childbirth
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Trans-Nordic look at extreme major depression genetics
A large genetics study is exploring what makes extreme forms of major depression unique, by studying many thousands of people and their DNA.
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Written Exposure Therapy for Veterans with PTSD and Substance Use Disorder (brief trauma treatment)
A brief trauma-focused therapy called Written Exposure Therapy is being studied to help veterans who have both PTSD and substance use disorders.
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.