How brain chemicals change during stages of drug addiction
The neuropharmacology of brain activation during stages of drug abuse
Researchers will use advanced brain imaging to track how multiple brain chemicals and receptors change across stages of drug addiction to help people with substance use disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285191 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or someone you know struggles with drug addiction, this project is developing new brain-imaging tools to reveal how different neurotransmitters work together as addiction develops. The team will combine pharmacological PET scans with fMRI to capture signals from multiple receptors across the whole brain at the same time. Experiments are being done in nonhuman primates to make the findings more relevant to people and to build a platform that could later be used in human studies. The goal is to map molecular changes across stages of drug exposure so future treatments can target the right systems.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: In future human work, ideal candidates would be adults with current or past substance use disorders who are willing to participate in clinical brain-imaging research.
Not a fit: People without a history of drug dependence, those needing urgent clinical care, or those unable to travel to research centers would likely not benefit directly from this preclinical project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatment targets and better ways to prevent relapse by showing how multiple brain systems change with drug use.
How similar studies have performed: Previous PET and PET–fMRI work has successfully imaged dopamine receptor changes, but simultaneous whole-brain multi-receptor pharmacological PET with fMRI is relatively new and more exploratory.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sander, Christin Y. — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Sander, Christin Y.
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.