How alcohol exposure before birth or during the teen years affects brain development and later risk
Official title: Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center
Funded at State University of Ny,binghamton · NIH-11177668 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at whether alcohol exposure during pregnancy or in the teen years changes brain development and raises the chance of later alcohol problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of Ny,binghamton NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Binghamton, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2009 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,547,376 |
| NIH project number | 5P50AA017823-17 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177668 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would include people with prenatal alcohol exposure, adolescents or young adults who engage in binge or heavy drinking, and adults with a history of early-life alcohol exposure willing to take part in interviews, imaging, or sample donation.
✕Less likely to help
People seeking immediate medical detox or urgent clinical treatment for severe alcohol dependence may not receive direct clinical benefit from participation in this research-focused center.
What this research studies
Researchers at Binghamton University bring together linked projects that study alcohol exposure during pregnancy and adolescent binge drinking to understand effects on brain development across the lifespan. The center uses a mix of approaches including human clinical and behavioral studies, analysis of human samples, neuroimaging, and complementary laboratory models to study brain circuitry and behavior. By coordinating multiple teams and methods, the DEARC aims to identify biological mechanisms and possible targets for prevention or treatment of alcohol-related brain problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve early detection, prevention strategies, and lead to new treatments for people harmed by early-life alcohol exposure.
How similar studies have gone: Prior human and animal studies have shown prenatal and adolescent alcohol exposure can harm brain development, but effective, widely adopted treatments are still limited, so this center builds on known findings while pursuing new translational approaches.
Where this research is happening
-
State University of Ny,binghamton
Binghamton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Deak, Terrence — State University of Ny,binghamton
- Study coordinator: Deak, Terrence
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Chemical methods to control RNA function in cells
A scientist-led project explores new chemical tweaks to how regulatory RNAs work, with potential implications for biology and medicine.
-
A quick, online program to help high school students cut back on drinking with parent support
A brief, web-based program for 11th–12th graders, plus a parent-focused component, aims to reduce risky drinking in high school students.
-
Prefrontal Brain Development and Adolescent Reward-Seeking Behavior
A young-person study explores how changing brain circuits during adolescence influence impulse control and reward-driven behaviors.
-
Anterior cingulate changes with prenatal and adolescent alcohol exposure
This grant studies how alcohol exposure before birth and during adolescence may alter brain circuits related to addiction and pain, aiming to understand why some youths develop problematic drinking and anxiety later.
-
Sex-specific withdrawal effects of alcohol during adolescence
This grant studies how adolescent boys and girls differ in withdrawal from alcohol and how brain signals in the fear-and-anxiety center (the central amygdala) may explain those differences.
-
AIE, BBB Regulation, and Neurovascular Health in Alzheimer’s-Related Dementia
This NIH grant supports work on how intermittent alcohol exposure in adolescence affects the brain’s protective barrier and blood flow in people and animal models at risk for Alzheimer’s-related dementia.
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.