How alcohol use affects fear responses in veterans with PTSD
Official title: Neural correlates of fear conditioning and extinction in veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorder
Funded at VA San Diego Healthcare System · NIH-11070362 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how drinking alcohol affects the way veterans with PTSD learn to cope with fear and trauma, hoping to find better ways to help them recover from both their PTSD and alcohol use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA San Diego Healthcare System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01CX002397-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11070362 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are veterans diagnosed with PTSD who also have issues with alcohol use.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without PTSD or those who do not have alcohol use disorders may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the impact of alcohol use on fear extinction and contextual fear processing in veterans suffering from PTSD and alcohol use disorders. It aims to understand how current alcohol consumption influences the recovery processes from trauma, particularly focusing on the brain regions involved in fear responses. By examining these relationships, the study seeks to identify critical mechanisms that could inform more effective treatment strategies for veterans facing these dual challenges.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatment approaches for veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorders, enhancing their recovery outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that understanding the interplay between alcohol use and PTSD recovery is crucial, but this specific approach is relatively novel and untested.
Where this research is happening
-
VA San Diego Healthcare System
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Spadoni Townsend, Andrea — VA San Diego Healthcare System
- Study coordinator: Spadoni Townsend, Andrea
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Genetic links between PTSD and alcohol problems from adolescence to adulthood
This research looks at how genes and childhood trauma together relate to PTSD and alcohol problems from the teen years into adulthood.
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.