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Sex Differences and The Influence of Ovarian Hormones on the Mechanisms that Promote Nicotine Withdrawal

Award Number: R01DA059359
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2024
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2025
AWARD TERMINATION DATE: 05/27/2025

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Sex Differences and The Influence of Ovarian Hormones on the Mechanisms that Promote Nicotine Withdrawal - ABSTRACT Tobacco use remains a major public health and economic concern, particularly in women who are more susceptible to the long-term consequences of nicotine exposure. Clinical evidence has revealed that stress produced by nicotine withdrawal can be intensified by fluctuations in gonadal hormones in women, although the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Thus, there is a critical need to determine the mechanisms by which stress systems enhance withdrawal severity in females versus males, and the influence of ovarian hormones on these measures in adult females. If this knowledge gap is not filled, then the challenges of reducing nicotine use and developing specialized medications for females will remain largely insurmountable. The long-term goal of our research program is to identify the mechanisms that mediate nicotine use among different clinical populations that are uniquely susceptible to this problem. The objective of this application is to determine the mechanisms that promote withdrawal from chronic nicotine vapor inhalation. Recent work in male rodents has revealed that nicotine withdrawal is modulated in the medial habenula-interpeduncular nucleus (MHb-IPN) pathway. Our central hypothesis is that sex differences in withdrawal are modulated in the local circuits of the IPN, where stress and ovarian hormones modulate withdrawal severity in females. Specifically, our mechanistic hypothesis is that females experience greater inhibitory tone in the IPN via local interneurons that release the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). These GABA interneurons express type 1 receptors for the stress peptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRFR1). We posit that chronic nicotine produces a greater enhancement of CRF production and CRFR1 receptor expression which further promotes GABAergic inhibitory tone in the IPN of females. The rationale for the proposed research is that its successful completion is likely to contribute to a mechanistic framework for the development of new cessation strategies, particularly for women. Guided by strong preliminary data, the following specific aims were designed to: 1) identify the mechanisms by which the IPN controls nicotine withdrawal in females and males and 2) determine the effects of ovarian hormones on IPN-modulated nicotine withdrawal in females. The proposed studies constitute a multi- disciplinary approach involving tract tracing, behavior, immunocytochemistry, neurochemistry, and gene-transfer technology to compare sex differences (Aim 1) and the influence of ovarian hormones (Aim 2) on withdrawal severity and inhibitory tone in the IPN. The proposed work is innovative because it combines state-of-the-art methods to unveil the mechanisms by which inhibitory tone in the IPN modulates withdrawal in a sex- and hormone-dependent manner. The proposed research is significant because the results are expected to inform the development of future interventions that will selectively target the underlying mechanisms of withdrawal. Ultimately, the results of our research continuum are expected to contribute meaningfully to the design of precision therapeutics that will reduce health disparities produced by chronic nicotine use, particularly in women.


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 = -$39,406 )
2026	2025	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO	500 W UNIVERSITY AVE	EL PASO	TX	79968	EL PASO	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	2	4/15/2026	TERMINATION	-$39,406
														Subtotal = -$39,406

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $435,201 )
2025	2025	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO	500 W UNIVERSITY AVE	EL PASO	TX	79968	EL PASO	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	2	12/13/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$391,536
2025	2025	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO	500 W UNIVERSITY AVE	EL PASO	TX	79968	EL PASO	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	002	2	5/23/2025	TERMINATION	$0
2025	2025	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO	500 W UNIVERSITY AVE	EL PASO	TX	79968	EL PASO	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	003	2	5/23/2025	TERMINATION	$0
2025	2025	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO	500 W UNIVERSITY AVE	EL PASO	TX	79968	EL PASO	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	2	12/19/2024	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$43,665
														Subtotal = $435,201

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $469,210 )
2024	2024	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO	500 W UNIVERSITY AVE	EL PASO	TX	79968	EL PASO	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	1	8/2/2024	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$16,170
2024	2024	THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO	500 W UNIVERSITY AVE	EL PASO	TX	79968	EL PASO	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	2/29/2024	NEW	$453,040
														Subtotal = $469,210

Grand Total All Awards = $865,005

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Sex Differences and The Influence of Ovarian Hormones on the Mechanisms that Promote Nicotine Withdrawal

Award Number: R01DA059359

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2024

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2025

AWARD TERMINATION DATE: 05/27/2025

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