Award
NIH Reporter #5F30DA060666-03
The Role of Parabrachial CGRP Neurons in Opioid Reinforcement
Recipient
University of Miami School of Medicine
Award Amount
$55,114.00
Ceiling
$55,114.00
Awarded
April 21, 2026
Identifier
5F30DA060666-03
The award funds research to explore the role of CGRP neurons in opioid reinforcement and withdrawal, aiming to find new non-opioid treatments for opioid use disorder by studying gene expression and testing FDA-approved CGRP inhibitors.
Description
This study seeks to address the growing opioid epidemic by identifying novel therapeutic targets for treating opioid use disorder. Preliminary studies have identified calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) producing neurons in the parabrachial nucleus as potential direct activators of the negative affective states associated with opioid withdrawal. The project aims to establish this functional connection and understand gene expression and epigenetic changes within this neuronal population to evaluate the feasibility of leveraging CGRP therapeutics for treating opioid use disorder.