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Amygdala Circuits Mediate Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Effects on Pain

Award Number: F32AA032728
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 11/03/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/02/2027

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Amygdala Circuits Mediate Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Effects on Pain - Abstract The number one cause of disability in adults in the United States is chronic pain with upwards of 100 million people reporting chronic pain in their lifetime, prompting the Institute of Medicine to label chronic pain as a major public health concern10-13. Acute alcohol use is analgesic in humans51, and it is estimated that 20-50% of adults in the United States that suffer from chronic pain use alcohol to self-medicate20-21. Additionally, chronic use causes people to develop tolerance to the acute analgesic effects of alcohol, and cessation of chronic alcohol use leads to hyperalgesia, thus further promoting the consumption of alcohol16. Adolescence is a critical period of brain development characterized by significant hormonal, physiological, behavioral and neurochemical changes, as well as impaired decision making and increased risk taking, which includes experimentation with drugs and alcohol. Adolescent alcohol use is a strong predictor for the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD) later in life and neuroadaptations produced by early alcohol use drive the onset and progression of AUD. Little is known regarding the specific neuroplastic events that underlie hyperalgesia after chronic alcohol exposure during adolescence or adulthood, but this field of study is growing. Recently published work from our lab shows that a history of chronic intermittent alcohol exposure during adolescence (AIE) leads to a reduction in excitatory (i.e., glutamatergic) transmission onto midbrain-projecting central amygdala cells, and that lower activity of this circuit is linked to higher pain sensitivity in adulthood1. Here, we propose a set of experiments that focus on identifying the mechanisms underlying AIE-induced hyperalgesia in adult rats. Our overall hypothesis is that chronic adolescent alcohol exposure produces lasting hyperalgesia in male and female rats that persists into adulthood, and this effect is mediated by reductions in synaptic drive from basolateral amygdala (BLA) glutamate neurons onto midbrain-projecting neurons in the medial aspect of the central amygdala (CeM). Specifically, we will test the predictions that AIE reduces neuronal activity of BLA neurons that project to CeM, reduces glutamate release from BLA terminals onto midbrain-projecting CeM neurons, and that hyperalgesia after AIE is mediated by reduced activity in this BLA-CeA-midbrain circuit. To test these predictions, we will expose male and female Wistar rats to chronic intermittent alcohol during adolescence, then use a combination of molecular biology, slice electrophysiology and circuit-based approaches to measure specific outcomes. This fellowship will provide the applicant with technical training and professional development skills that will be essential for his career goals of submitting a competitive K99/R00 application, moving onto an independent career at the intersection of alcohol research and epilepsy, and securing a tenure-track faculty research position.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $79,300 )
2026	2026	LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER NEW ORLEANS	433 BOLIVAR ST RM 619	NEW ORLEANS	LA	70112	ORLEANS	USA	Alcohol Research Programs	000	1	5/7/2026	NEW	$79,300
														Subtotal = $79,300

Grand Total All Awards = $79,300

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Amygdala Circuits Mediate Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Effects on Pain

Award Number: F32AA032728

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 11/03/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/02/2027

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