How alcohol changes the brain circuits that control decision-making
Dependence induced dysfunction of decision-making circuits
Researchers use mouse models to learn how long-term heavy drinking changes brain pathways that make decision-making harder for people with alcohol use disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11128717 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses mice to study how chronic alcohol exposure alters two brain regions involved in flexible decision-making: the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the rodent equivalent of the pre-supplementary motor area (M2). Scientists will expose mice to long-term alcohol, record brain activity in living animals, and examine brain slices to map specific circuit and synapse changes. They will test how altered OFC-M2-striatal connections affect goal-directed and flexible behavior. Findings aim to explain why people with alcohol use disorder struggle with changing choices and may point to targets for future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with alcohol use disorder or a history of chronic heavy drinking who might later join clinical studies or contribute samples to related research would be the most relevant group.
Not a fit: People whose decision-making problems stem from non-alcohol causes (for example, traumatic brain injury or developmental disorders) are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal brain circuit targets to help restore flexible decision-making and reduce relapse risk in people with alcohol use disorder.
How similar studies have performed: Human imaging and behavioral studies have linked OFC and pre-SMA changes to inflexible decision-making in AUD, but using mice to map chronic alcohol effects on M2-to-striatum circuits is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gremel, Christina M. — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Gremel, Christina M.
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.