Understanding why oxycodone misuse may rise after spinal cord injury
Official title: Exploring mechanisms for oxycodone use disorders after spinal cord injury
Funded at Drexel University · NIH-11465552 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at why people with spinal cord injuries might be more prone to misusing opioids like oxycodone and how brain changes after such injuries could play a role.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Drexel University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $228,750 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DA064438-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11465552 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older with a spinal cord injury who are at risk for or experiencing opioid use or misuse.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without spinal cord injury or opioid exposure may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
People with spinal cord injuries often face long-term pain and may be prescribed opioids. This study explores how injury-related changes in the brain's reward pathways could increase the risk of opioid misuse. The investigators will examine mechanisms linking spinal cord injury to altered brain signals and addictive behaviors. By understanding these connections, the work aims to inform safer pain management and prevention approaches for SCI patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to better guidelines for opioid prescribing and new strategies to prevent opioid misuse in people living with spinal cord injuries.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research links spinal cord injury to brain changes and increased pain management challenges, but direct mechanisms for opioid misuse after SCI are still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
Drexel University
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tom, Veronica Jean — Drexel University
- Study coordinator: Tom, Veronica Jean
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Corticospinal neurons and recovery of precise forelimb movement after spinal cord injury
This project studies how spine injuries change brain circuits and whether targeted rehabilitation helps restore precise forelimb movement.
-
How baclofen and spinal cord stimulation interact in people with spinal cord injury
This study looks at how a common antispasmodic medicine (baclofen) works together with spinal cord stimulation in people who have spinal cord injuries and live with spasticity.
-
Targeting spinal cord inflammation with a new HuR inhibitor to help SCI patients
A new treatment approach uses a small molecule to block a brain-spinal inflammation regulator (HuR) that drives harmful inflammation after spinal cord injury, aiming to lessen damage and pain for people with SCI.
-
From Neural Control of Movement to Treatments for Spinal Cord Injury
A patient-focused project aims to translate how brain signals control movement after spinal cord injury into new treatments that improve muscle function and reduce spasticity.
-
Polaris: a compact system to help motor recovery after spinal cord injury and stroke
A new, easy-to-use device called Polaris may help people with spinal cord injury, stroke, or other chronic conditions regain movement by guiding a specialized reflex-based therapy.
-
Predicting and Preventing Chronic Aspiration After Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
This project looks at swallowing problems and chronic aspiration in adults with traumatic neck spine injuries to find patterns that could prevent serious lung complications.
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.