How certain brain circuits control opioid relapse
Official title: Synapse-specific plasticity in thalamoaccumbal output circuitry disinhibits relapse to opioid seeking
Funded at Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center · NIH-11264896 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how opioid use changes specific brain circuits to make relapse more likely, with a focus on Veterans with opioid use disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2027 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006179-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11264896 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with opioid use disorder who could benefit from future translational work targeting relapse prevention.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals or those not at risk for relapse would not directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers are tracking activity in identified brain cells in mice as they progress from initial heroin use to dependence and relapse, using a new behavioral assay that follows the same neurons over time. They will test whether a thalamoaccumbal pathway that connects the thalamus to nucleus accumbens, and its parvalbumin interneurons, lose control during opioid use, leading to relapse. The study aims to establish a causal link between circuit changes and opioid-seeking behavior by longitudinally measuring neural activity across self-administration, extinction, and reinstatement phases. This work builds on existing findings about brain ‘brakes’ that normally suppress reward-motivated actions and may reveal targets to prevent relapse in people with OUD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide development of therapies that restore circuit control to help prevent opioid relapse.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show that specific brain circuits influence relapse-like behaviors in animals, supporting the plausibility of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Otis, James M — Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Otis, James M
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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.