Imaging brain energy use in cocaine use disorder with a PET tracer
Official title: Imaging brain energy use in cocaine use disorder: a [F-18]BCPP-EF PET study
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11300404 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new PET imaging study will look at brain energy use in people with cocaine use disorder to understand how cocaine affects brain metabolism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $351,314 |
| NIH project number | 1R61DA062821-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11300404 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with cocaine use disorder who are in a stable condition and can undergo PET imaging, plus healthy controls for comparison.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals unable to undergo PET imaging or with contraindications for the tracer may not benefit.
What this research studies
This study will use a specialized PET tracer to measure how efficiently brain cells produce energy in people with cocaine use disorder compared to healthy individuals. It focuses on the mitochondrial energy pathway (OXPHOS) and how cocaine may lower Complex I activity, increasing oxidative stress and potentially affecting brain connections. By comparing healthy controls to individuals with cocaine use disorder, researchers hope to map how energy production and glucose use relate in the living human brain. The findings could lay the groundwork for strategies to reduce relapse risk by targeting brain energy metabolism.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could improve our understanding of brain energy disruptions in cocaine users and inform future therapies to support recovery.
How similar studies have gone: Similar PET methods have been used to study brain metabolism in addiction, with promising insights but limited data in cocaine use disorder.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Narendran, Rajesh — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Narendran, Rajesh
Related research
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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.