Understanding how early life experiences and brain learning shape opioid risk
Official title: A mechanistic investigation of risk factors for opioid use disorder: Examining hippocampal-based context-dependent learning and memory associated with adverse childhood experiences
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11365081 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research team at the University of Michigan is studying how childhood adversity and brain learning related to memory might influence the risk of developing opioid use disorder in adults who are already using prescribed opioids.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $620,551 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA056415-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365081 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and older with opioid use disorder on buprenorphine treatment, and comparison adults without OUD.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without a history of ACEs or those not using prescription opioids may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how early-life stress may affect hippocampal learning processes that help us remember contexts and guide behavior, potentially contributing to opioid use disorder. It will compare adults with OUD who are on buprenorphine to those without the condition to see how their brain circuits differ. By combining brain imaging, cognitive tasks, and clinical data, the study aims to map a mechanistic pathway from ACEs to OUD risk. The goal is to identify brain-based markers that could inform prevention and personalized treatment strategies for people exposed to pain and opioids.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better risk prediction and more targeted interventions for people with a history of early adversity who are prescribed opioids.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research links ACEs and hippocampal function to substance use risk, but this study tests a direct mechanistic pathway in adults with OUD.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Duval, Elizabeth — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Duval, Elizabeth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how childhood experiences affect opioid use disorder
This project explores how difficult childhood experiences might influence the brain's learning and memory, making some adults more likely to develop opioid use disorder.
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Investigating how childhood experiences affect the risk of opioid use disorder.
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Optimizing long-acting PrEP and opioid treatment for people in jails and prisons
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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.