Investigating anti-inflammatory treatments for people with polysubstance use disorders
Official title: Investigating anti-neuroinflammatory therapeutics for polysubstance use disorders
Funded at East Tennessee State University · NIH-11404070 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aiming to better understand how inflammation in the brain is involved when people misuse fentanyl and methamphetamine, to guide future therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | East Tennessee State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Johnson City, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $141,864 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM159685-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404070 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals with polysubstance use disorder involving opioids and stimulants who are candidates for future trials or biomarker studies.
✕Less likely to help
This research is preclinical and may not directly benefit current patients in the short term.
What this research studies
This project studies how co-use of fentanyl and methamphetamine affects brain inflammation and related behaviors in a new rodent model of polysubstance dependence and withdrawal. It focuses on the inflammatory protein TNF-α and the orexin system, which may drive changes in motivation and drug seeking during withdrawal. By mapping these pathways in brain regions linked to emotions and arousal, the study seeks to identify targets for treatments that could help people with polysubstance use disorders. If successful, findings could inform human studies and the development of anti-inflammatory or orexin-based interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: It could lead to new approaches to treat polysubstance use disorders by targeting brain inflammation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown inflammation plays a role in individual drug use, but this study explores a novel polysubstance model.
Where this research is happening
-
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schmeichel, Brooke E — East Tennessee State University
- Study coordinator: Schmeichel, Brooke E
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.