Nasal oxytocin and smell‑brain pathways to reduce heavy drinking
Olfactory targets of alcohol use disorder medications
This project tests whether giving oxytocin through the nose can act on smell‑related brain areas to help people with alcohol use disorder drink less.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11199648 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers will give oxytocin through the nose and track how it travels along smell‑related nerves into front‑of‑brain smell areas. They will study receptors in the anterior olfactory nucleus and main olfactory bulb to see how activating those sites changes alcohol drinking in experimental models. The team will combine labeled oxytocin tracing and targeted receptor work to map where the hormone acts and whether that action links to reduced alcohol intake. The work is exploratory and aims to point to new nasal medication strategies if the mechanism seems promising.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with alcohol use disorder who are interested in new nasal medication approaches and in contributing to research that aims to improve treatments.
Not a fit: People without alcohol problems, or whose drinking is driven by issues unrelated to olfactory or oxytocin pathways, are unlikely to benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new nasal medication approaches that target smell‑related brain regions to reduce craving and heavy drinking in people with alcohol use disorder.
How similar studies have performed: Many animal studies report that oxytocin reduces alcohol consumption and some small human trials showed reduced craving, but recent mixed clinical results mean the approach remains uncertain and needs mechanistic study.
Where this research is happening
Portland, United States
- Oregon Health & Science University — Portland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ryabinin, Andrey E — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Ryabinin, Andrey 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 below.