National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 5R01AA032162-02

Profiling the alcohol-naive primate cortex to understand the functional role of epigenetics in predisposing the brain to risky alcohol use

The project aims to identify neural markers of risk for alcohol use disorder by studying epigenetic signatures in alcohol-naïve primates, expanding sample size, and conducting functional studies to improve early detection and personalized interventions.

Description

This project investigates neural molecular signatures in alcohol-naïve primates that predict future risky alcohol use. Using longitudinal DNA methylation analysis of the prefrontal cortex, the study identified regions associated with future alcohol consumption, enriched in genes related to neurogenesis and synaptic function. The research aims to validate and expand these findings with larger samples, cell-specific analyses, and functional studies, ultimately translating neural risk markers into blood-based biomarkers for early intervention.

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