How opioid treatment medicines affect light-sensitive eye cells, sleep, and the body clock
Medications for opioid use disorder differentially modulate intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell function, sleep, and circadian rhythms: implications for treatment
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · NIH-11171642
It looks at whether different opioid treatment medicines change how light-sensitive eye cells influence sleep and daily rhythms in people with opioid use disorder.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BIRMINGHAM, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11171642 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will compare people taking methadone, buprenorphine, or extended-release naltrexone to see how these medications affect light-sensitive retinal cells and related sleep and circadian measures. They will measure eye responses to light (including the pupil response after light exposure), track sleep and activity with wearable sensors and sleep diaries, and collect hormone samples like melatonin to gauge body-clock timing. The team will combine these physiological measures with clinical information to look for biomarkers that predict recovery of normal sleep patterns or risk of relapse. The work aims to understand whether medication-related changes in eye-cell signaling contribute to ongoing sleep problems in people treated for opioid use disorder.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with opioid use disorder who are starting or currently receiving methadone, buprenorphine, or extended-release naltrexone and who can attend clinic visits are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People not on medications for opioid use disorder, children, or those with eye conditions that prevent accurate light-response testing may not receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help match treatments or add interventions to reduce sleep problems and possibly lower relapse risk for people with opioid use disorder.
How similar studies have performed: Animal and laboratory studies indicate opioids can blunt responses of light-sensitive retinal cells, but translating those findings to people is largely new and this clinical work is novel.
Where this research is happening
BIRMINGHAM, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM — BIRMINGHAM, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CROPSEY, KAREN L — UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- Study coordinator: CROPSEY, KAREN L
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.