Understanding how heart signals affect feelings from alcohol consumption
Official title: The role of peripheral cardiovascular signals in the interoceptive effects of alcohol
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10592619 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how your heart rate and blood pressure affect how you feel when you drink alcohol, helping us understand why different amounts of alcohol can make you feel lightheaded or relaxed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $391,393 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AA030093-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10592619 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults who consume alcohol and are interested in understanding its effects on their body and behavior.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not consume alcohol or have contraindications to alcohol use may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how signals from the cardiovascular system, such as heart rate and blood pressure, influence the feelings and sensations experienced when consuming alcohol. By examining these interoceptive effects, the study aims to understand how different doses of alcohol can lead to varying sensations like lightheadedness or relaxation. The research will involve measuring these cardiovascular signals in participants as they consume alcohol to see how they relate to their experiences. This could help in understanding the behavioral impacts of alcohol consumption.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better strategies for managing alcohol consumption and its effects on behavior.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been some research on the central nervous system's role in alcohol effects, the specific focus on cardiovascular signals in this context is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Besheer, Joyce — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Besheer, Joyce
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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.