Shared brain and behavior changes linking PTSD and alcohol problems
Official title: Project 4: Convergent behavioral and neurobiological adaptations promoted by rodent models of vulnerability to alcohol use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11238075 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses animal models to look at brain and behavior changes that may underlie PTSD and alcohol use problems, aiming to guide new treatments for people with both conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | December 10, 2017 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $306,089 |
| NIH project number | 5P50AA026117-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238075 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with PTSD, alcohol use disorder, or both who are interested in future clinical trials or translational therapies based on this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without PTSD or alcohol problems, or anyone needing immediate clinical care, are unlikely to benefit directly from this animal-based project.
What this research studies
Researchers use rodent models that mimic early-life social isolation and traumatic stress to recreate vulnerabilities to PTSD and alcohol problems. They track anxiety-like behavior, fear extinction, negative mood, and voluntary alcohol drinking, while mapping brain changes. The team focuses on a glutamate pathway from the ventral subiculum to the nucleus accumbens shell as a common circuit that may drive both conditions. They also test whether combining the two stressors makes outcomes worse and whether a therapeutic approach can reduce those effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to brain circuits to target for new treatments that reduce co-occurring PTSD and alcohol problems.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have identified overlapping stress and reward circuits in PTSD and addiction, but translating those findings into effective human treatments has been limited so far.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Weiner, Jeffrey L. — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Weiner, Jeffrey L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Functional Connectivity-Guided TMS for Alcohol Use Disorder
A new approach uses targeted brain stimulation to help people with alcohol use disorder stay abstinent longer by focusing treatment on specific brain circuits.
-
Alcohol Use Disorder and Suicidal Behavior: Finding Why They Occur Together
A study using Swedish population data to understand why alcohol use disorder relates to suicidal thoughts and acts, with the goal of improving risk prediction and prevention.
-
Non-hallucinogenic psilocybin derivative for alcohol use disorder
A new, safer psilocybin-like compound is being studied to help people with alcohol use disorder.
-
Identifying brain proteins linked to PTSD and alcohol use disorder
Researchers are studying brain proteins that may contribute to PTSD and alcohol use disorder in US veterans to find new ways to help people who struggle with both conditions.
-
Mu and Kappa Opioid Balance in Alcohol Use Disorder
A study using brain imaging to understand how the brain’s opioid system changes during early sobriety in adults with alcohol use disorder.
-
Telehealth support to prevent suicide in people with alcohol use disorder in Tanzania
A telehealth counseling program is being adapted to help reduce suicide risk for people with alcohol use disorder in emergency departments in Tanzania.
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.