How alcohol changes chemical tags on brain RNA in people with alcohol use disorder
Identifying Brain Epitranscriptomic Changes Associated with Alcohol Use Disorder
This project looks at chemical marks on brain RNA from adults with alcohol use disorder to understand how heavy drinking can change gene activity in the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11250981 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will examine postmortem brain tissue from adults with alcohol use disorder and compare RNA chemical marks and gene activity across eight brain regions. They will measure mRNA methylation (the epitranscriptome) and overall gene expression in areas like the amygdala, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, and prefrontal cortex. In parallel, they will use a laboratory model of chronic intermittent alcohol exposure to see how alcohol changes RNA methylation and neuronal activity. By linking these findings, they aim to identify RNA-based mechanisms that might explain tolerance, dependence, or other brain changes from heavy drinking.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (age 21+) with a history of alcohol use disorder, or families willing to donate postmortem brain tissue from such individuals, would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: People without a history of heavy alcohol use or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic science, tissue-based work in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new molecular targets for treatments to prevent or reverse brain changes caused by chronic heavy drinking.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have shown alcohol-linked DNA methylation changes, but applying mRNA (epitranscriptomic) profiling in human AUD brains is relatively new and less explored.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University Medical Campus — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Huiping — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Huiping
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.