How traumatic brain injury may change opioid addiction risk
Official title: TBI and opioid interactions in addiction-related outcomes
Funded at Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center · NIH-11206920 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at whether people who have had a traumatic brain injury respond differently to opioids and face higher risk of opioid addiction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | November 1, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX004768-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11206920 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have experienced a traumatic brain injury and are concerned about opioid use or addiction would be the most relevant candidates for related clinical follow-up or future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of traumatic brain injury or those who are not exposed to opioid pain medications are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From a patient's view, the team is using well-established animal models of repeated blast brain injury to mimic human traumatic brain injury and then giving animals opioids to study drug-taking and drug-seeking behavior. They measure how much animals self-administer oxycodone and how strongly they seek the drug after periods of abstinence. The researchers also use functional MRI to look for changes in brain connectivity that relate to opioid behavior. The goal is to uncover biological pathways that could explain why people sometimes develop substance problems after a brain injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to reduce opioid addiction risk after brain injury and inform safer pain management and targeted treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Clinical studies have shown higher rates of substance use after TBI and prior animal studies (including this group's published work) found altered opioid-related behavior and brain connectivity, but the precise mechanisms are still largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stemper, Brian D — Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Stemper, Brian D
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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.