Shared brain and behavior changes linking PTSD and alcohol problems
Project 4: Convergent behavioral and neurobiological adaptations promoted by rodent models of vulnerability to alcohol use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · NIH-11238075
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
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (WINSTON-SALEM, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11238075 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with PTSD, alcohol use disorder, or both who are interested in future clinical trials or translational therapies based on this research.
Not a fit: People without PTSD or alcohol problems, or anyone needing immediate clinical care, are unlikely to benefit directly from this animal-based project.
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 performed: 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
WINSTON-SALEM, UNITED STATES
- 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.
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.