National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 5U01AA014095-24

1/8: INIA Stress and Chronic Alcohol Interactions: Role of Dynorphin/KOR and Oxytocin Systems in Stress-Enhanced Alcohol Drinking, Relapse, and Impaired Behavioral Flexibility

The award supports research on the interaction of stress and chronic alcohol exposure in mice, focusing on neuropeptide systems that influence alcohol drinking and relapse, to develop better interventions for stress-related alcohol use disorder.

Description

This project developed a mouse model where repeated brief forced swim stress interacts with chronic intermittent ethanol exposure to enhance alcohol drinking in dependent mice. It established a role for the pro-stress neuropeptide dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor system in stress-enhanced alcohol drinking and demonstrated that the anti-stress neuropeptide oxytocin reduces alcohol self-administration and relapse-like behavior. The study focuses on these systems within stress-relevant circuits, examining their roles in promoting escalation of alcohol drinking, relapse, and behavioral flexibility impairments, aiming to inform development of more effective interventions for stress-related alcohol use disorder.

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