Understanding how brain changes after oxycodone exposure affect craving
Official title: Cellular and circuit adaptations contributing to the incubation of oxycodone craving
Funded at North Central College · NIH-11365156 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at why craving for oxycodone grows stronger after stopping use, by studying brain changes in a rat model and exploring a potential treatment with ketamine.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | North Central College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Naperville, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $159,693 |
| NIH project number | 5R16DA062584-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365156 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with opioid use disorder or relapse risk who could participate in future translational studies or clinical trials.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without a history of opioid use disorder or relapse risk may not benefit from this specific preclinical research.
What this research studies
Researchers will study brain circuits involved in addiction, focusing on how AMPA receptors and other brain areas adapt during withdrawal from oxycodone in rats. They will test whether giving subanesthetic ketamine during withdrawal can lessen the later craving for oxycodone. The work combines animal experiments with measurements of brain activity to identify changes linked to relapse vulnerability. If findings translate, this could point to new approaches to reduce relapse risk in people recovering from opioid use disorder.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could inform future treatments that reduce relapse risk for people recovering from oxycodone and other opioid addictions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows similar drugs can alter relapse-related brain plasticity in animal models, supporting the potential for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
North Central College
Naperville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stefanik, Michael Thomas — North Central College
- Study coordinator: Stefanik, Michael Thomas
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding lasting oxycodone cravings
This research looks at why cravings for oxycodone can last a long time after someone stops using it, and explores new ways to help reduce these cravings.
-
Understanding how cravings for oxycodone develop and persist after withdrawal
This study looks at how the brain changes when someone stops using oxycodone and why cravings can get stronger over time, and it’s testing if ketamine might help reduce those cravings to support people recovering from opioid addiction.
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.