How alcohol affects sleep and memory in the brain
Official title: Alcohol tolerance encoding in sleep and memory circuits
Funded at University of California, Merced · NIH-10988050 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how just one drink can change your sleep and behavior, and it's for anyone curious about how alcohol affects our brains and sleep patterns, using both people and fruit flies to find out more.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, Merced NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Merced, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $215,159 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AA031324-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10988050 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults over 21 who may experience issues related to alcohol use or sleep disturbances.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not consume alcohol or have no sleep-related issues may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how a single exposure to alcohol can lead to lasting changes in behavior and brain function, particularly focusing on sleep patterns. By studying both humans and fruit flies, the researchers aim to uncover the connections between alcohol tolerance and sleep regulation. They have identified specific brain neurons that may play a role in how alcohol influences sleep, which could help explain the relationship between addiction and sleep disturbances. The study employs a combination of behavioral analysis and neurobiological techniques to explore these mechanisms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment of sleep disorders related to alcohol use and addiction.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the relationship between alcohol tolerance and sleep, but this specific approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, Merced
Merced, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wolf, Frederick W — University of California, Merced
- Study coordinator: Wolf, Frederick W
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
HOME: Smart, compassionate AI helpers for aging at home
A research project is developing an AI-powered, multimodal system to help older adults stay safe and healthy at home while supporting busy caregivers.
-
How master 'pioneer' proteins read DNA and shape cell identity
This project looks at how special 'pioneer' proteins read DNA inside cells to guide development and how those processes relate to cancer and regenerative medicine.
-
Engineering vCCI to change how it binds chemokines
Researchers will study a viral protein called vCCI that can calm inflammation and explore how to tweak its binding to inflammation signals to potentially help conditions like arthritis and asthma.
-
How stem cells renew tissues and cancer development, using planarians
A scientist team at UC Merced studies how stem cells renew tissues and how DNA damage can lead to cancer, using a planarian model to understand early changes.
-
Understanding how blood vessels and endothelial cells help the thymus heal after intensive cancer therapy
This NIH grant explores how blood vessels and their lining cells help the thymus recover after chemotherapy, aiming to support better immune recovery in adults.
-
Understanding how enzyme shapes and movements control their activity
This grant explores how temperature-driven changes in enzyme shapes affect their activity, with the goal of finding hidden states that could help drug discovery.
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.