How cocaine memories differ in women and men
Official title: Sex differences in operant cocaine memories
Funded at University of Mississippi Med Ctr · NIH-11376172 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether brain memory circuits that drive cocaine craving act differently in females than males to help people trying to stay abstinent.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Mississippi Med Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Jackson, United States) |
| Project start | March 6, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $213,727 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM144041-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11376172 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with a history of cocaine use disorder who have trouble staying abstinent—particularly those who experience strong craving early in quitting—would be the eventual candidates for therapies informed by this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without cocaine use disorder or those seeking immediate clinical treatment will not directly benefit from this preclinical study.
What this research studies
Researchers use a rat-based behavioral model called the seeking-persistence paradigm that mimics craving during early abstinence and predicts relapse risk. They compare male and female animals to find circuit and molecular differences, with a focus on the dorsal hippocampus. Experiments apply targeted interventions during initial abstinence to see how those changes affect long-term drug-seeking. Results are intended to guide future therapies that address sex-specific biological drivers of relapse.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to sex-specific strategies to reduce relapse and improve long-term abstinence for people with cocaine use disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have linked the hippocampus and sex differences to drug-seeking, but the seeking-persistence paradigm and targeted early-abstinence interventions are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Mississippi Med Ctr
Jackson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kohtz, Amy — University of Mississippi Med Ctr
- Study coordinator: Kohtz, Amy
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.