Understanding how the brain responds to stress and cravings in people with opioid addiction
Official title: Plasticity of Aversive Salience in Opioid Use Disorder
Funded at Laureate Institute for Brain Research · NIH-11003735 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the brain works during recovery from opioid addiction, especially how it reacts to cravings and stress, to help create better treatment plans for people trying to overcome this challenge.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Laureate Institute for Brain Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tulsa, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2021 |
| Project end | December 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $282,476 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA050677-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11003735 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals seeking treatment for opioid use disorder.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not seeking treatment for opioid use disorder or those with other substance use disorders may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the brain mechanisms that affect recovery from opioid use disorder, focusing on how the brain responds to both internal signals (like cravings and withdrawal) and external stressors. By studying brain circuitry related to aversive stimuli, the research aims to identify factors that either hinder or promote recovery in individuals seeking treatment for opioid addiction. The study will involve comparing brain responses in treatment-seeking individuals with opioid use disorder to those of healthy controls, with the goal of developing personalized treatment strategies to reduce relapse rates and improve recovery outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective, individualized treatments for opioid addiction, potentially reducing relapse rates and improving recovery outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in understanding brain mechanisms related to addiction, but this specific approach focusing on aversive salience in opioid use disorder is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Laureate Institute for Brain Research
Tulsa, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stewart, Jennifer Lorraine — Laureate Institute for Brain Research
- Study coordinator: Stewart, Jennifer Lorraine
Related research
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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.