Understanding how social interactions can help prevent heroin relapse
Official title: Neurobiological mechanisms underlying heroin relapse after social-induced abstinence and preference for social interaction vs. opioid drugs
Funded at U.s. National Institute on Drug Abuse · NIH-10496704 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how spending time with friends might help people who have struggled with heroin addiction stay away from drugs, by comparing how the brain reacts to social interactions versus drug use, and it hopes to find new ways to support recovery through social connections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | U.s. National Institute on Drug Abuse NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2022 |
| NIH project number | 1FI2GM142476-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10496704 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals struggling with heroin addiction who may benefit from alternative reward systems in their recovery process.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not currently experiencing opioid addiction or those who do not have access to social support may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the neurobiological mechanisms that influence heroin relapse after a period of social-induced abstinence. By using a rat model, the study examines how social interactions can serve as a rewarding alternative to opioid drugs, potentially reducing the likelihood of relapse. The researchers aim to understand the brain's response to social rewards compared to drug rewards, providing insights into addiction recovery. The findings could help develop new treatment strategies that emphasize social engagement as a means to combat opioid addiction.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to innovative treatment approaches that utilize social interactions to help individuals overcome heroin addiction.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown success in using alternative rewards to reduce drug-seeking behavior, but this specific approach focusing on social interactions is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
U.s. National Institute on Drug Abuse
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chow, Jonathan J — U.s. National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Study coordinator: Chow, Jonathan J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Social stress and smoking: why disadvantaged young adults struggle to quit
This grant looks at how daily social stress affects if and when disadvantaged young adults who smoke can quit and stay quit.
-
Learning from remission and relapse in lupus (SLE)
Researchers are studying people with systemic lupus erythematosus who are in long-term remission without steroids or immunosuppressants to understand their immune cells, brain function, and what might predict relapse.
-
Learning from Remission and Relapse in SLE
A program to study people with systemic lupus erythematosus who are in long-term remission to understand immune and brain signals that might predict relapse.
-
Alternative NF-kB activation after chemotherapy in ovarian cancer
This grant studies how ovarian cancer might come back after chemotherapy by looking at specific signaling pathways in cancer cells and the tumor environment.
-
Predictors of autoimmunity onset and relapse in skin
A study to understand what biological signals in skin predict when autoimmune diseases start, flare, or worsen in people at risk.
-
Determinants of TB Control, Relapse, and Reinfection
A large, multi-year study aims to understand why some people who are treated for TB still have persistent infection or relapse, with the goal of improving prevention and treatment.
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.