Understanding Opioid Withdrawal and Relapse in the Brain
IDENTIFYING EPIGENOMICS AND CONNECTOMICS OF PROTRACTED OPIOID WITHDRAWAL AND RELAPSE USING CELLULAR BARCODING
This project aims to understand the brain changes that lead to long-lasting opioid withdrawal and relapse, hoping to find new ways to help people recover.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11118921 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Opioid addiction is a major challenge, often marked by a difficult cycle of withdrawal and relapse. This project uses advanced brain mapping tools to look closely at how brain cells change after opioid exposure and withdrawal. By studying these changes in detail, we hope to uncover the specific ways the brain adapts, which could point to new targets for treatment. The goal is to better understand why some people struggle with chronic withdrawal and relapse, paving the way for more effective support.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients struggling with opioid addiction and its chronic withdrawal and relapse cycles may ultimately benefit from the insights gained from this foundational research.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment options will not directly benefit from this basic science project, which focuses on understanding disease mechanisms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a deeper understanding of opioid addiction, potentially guiding the development of new and more effective treatments to prevent relapse.
How similar studies have performed: This project uses newly developed cellular barcoding tools for brain mapping, representing a novel approach to connect brain changes at a cellular level.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kebschull, Justus M — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Kebschull, Justus M
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 below.