How stress and long-term alcohol use change brain circuits
5/8 INIA Stress and Chronic Alcohol Interactions: Probing brain circuits that regulate alcohol stress interactions
Researchers are using gene-editing and brain-circuit tests to learn how stress and heavy drinking change signals that drive alcohol dependence, to help people struggling with alcohol use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11296862 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This team uses CRISPR gene-editing and brain-recording methods to alter and monitor specific receptors in parts of the extended amygdala (like the central amygdala and BNST) that help control stress and drinking. Most experiments are done in animal models to see how changing kappa opioid receptors and noradrenergic signaling affects drinking behavior and stress-related brain activity. The project also combines results across collaborating labs to examine dopamine changes and whole-brain activity after targeting related receptors. The goal is to identify precise brain circuits and drug targets that could guide future treatments for stress-driven drinking and relapse.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with alcohol dependence or heavy drinking that is triggered or worsened by stress would be the group most likely to benefit from these findings.
Not a fit: People without alcohol problems or whose drinking is unrelated to stress may not directly benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new brain targets for treatments that reduce stress-driven drinking and prevent relapse.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical animal studies have linked kappa opioid and noradrenergic systems to alcohol-related behaviors, but translating these findings into effective human treatments is still limited.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcelligott, Zoe Anastasia — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Mcelligott, Zoe Anastasia
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.