Genetic links between PTSD and alcohol problems from adolescence to adulthood
Official title: Genetic relationships between PTSD and Alcohol Use Disorder: Integrating GWAS and Deeply Phenotyped Longitudinal data.
Funded at Suny Downstate Medical Center · NIH-11141804 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how genes and childhood trauma together relate to PTSD and alcohol problems from the teen years into adulthood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Suny Downstate Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Brooklyn, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $539,941 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA030010-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11141804 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adolescents and adults with histories of childhood trauma or with varying levels of alcohol use and PTSD symptoms who can provide genetic samples and attend follow-up assessments.
✕Less likely to help
People without trauma exposure, without alcohol or PTSD symptoms, or those unwilling to provide genetic samples or follow-up data may not benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
This project follows people over time to see how childhood trauma, genetic risk, and brain development combine to shape risk for PTSD and alcohol use problems. Researchers will merge large-scale genetic data (GWAS) with deeply detailed, long-term clinical and brain measurements such as EEG. The focus is on adolescence and young adulthood, with attention to sex differences and family history of alcohol problems. The goal is to identify genetic and brain-based patterns that explain why some people develop PTSD and alcohol use disorder after trauma.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at higher risk so they can get earlier, more personalized prevention or treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous GWAS and EEG studies have shown genetic overlap between AUD and PTSD and brain differences after trauma, but combining large-scale genetics with deeply phenotyped longitudinal brain data is relatively novel.
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.
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Identifying brain proteins linked to PTSD and alcohol use disorder
Researchers are studying brain proteins that may contribute to PTSD and alcohol use disorder in US veterans to find new ways to help people who struggle with both conditions.
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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.
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Prediction of alcohol problems and PTSD after trauma in teens
Teens who experience acute trauma are studied to see if certain biological signals can predict who might develop Alcohol Use Disorder or PTSD.
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Cognitive Processing Therapy plus Relapse Prevention for people with alcohol problems and PTSD
This trial offers a combined Cognitive Processing Therapy and relapse-prevention program for adults with alcohol use disorder and PTSD to reduce drinking and PTSD symptoms.
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Finding brain proteins linked to PTSD and alcohol use disorder
This study is looking at how certain proteins in the brain might be linked to PTSD and alcohol use problems in U.S. Veterans, with the hope of finding new treatments that can help those dealing with these challenges.
-
Using biomarkers to personalize treatment for alcohol use disorder and PTSD
This study is looking at how certain biological markers can help customize treatments for people dealing with both alcohol use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and it will test how well the medication topiramate works for them while considering their genetic factors.
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.