Understanding how opioid seeking changes in specific brain cells
Official title: Cell-type specific excitability and molecular mechanisms of opioid seeking
Funded at Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge · NIH-11285660 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how opioid use changes nerve cell activity in the brain to explain why cravings and relapse happen, with a focus on people who may be affected by opioid use disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baton Rouge, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $409,587 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DA064905-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285660 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with opioid use disorder or those at risk of relapse in future translational contexts, and researchers may advance findings toward human studies.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without opioid exposure or risk of relapse are unlikely to directly benefit from this basic science study.
What this research studies
This project looks at the brain’s nucleus accumbens and how specific neuron types react to opioid exposure. By using animal models and targeting different cell populations, the study aims to uncover cell-type specific changes in neuronal excitability that may drive drug seeking. The findings could point to new approaches to prevent relapse in people with opioid use disorder. The research will be conducted at Louisiana State University with techniques that make precise, cell-level observations possible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could inform new strategies to block relapse and improve treatments for opioid use disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that cell-type specific brain changes contribute to drug seeking, but this project explores untested neuronal subtypes in opioid contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Anderson, Ethan Michael — Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge
- Study coordinator: Anderson, Ethan Michael
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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.