Cocaine use disorder is a devastating public health crisis, yet we currently have no FDA approved medications to help people maintain long term recovery. One of the greatest challenges in treating addiction is preventing relapse, which often occurs after long periods of being clean. In our recent study in collaboration with the Kiraly lab, we explored a surprising new frontier in addiction research: the gut microbiome. We discovered that the bacteria living in the gut, and th

Drug addiction is a complex struggle that involves powerful memories and intense emotions. While we know the brain’s reward system is involved, we are still learning how specific cells within the brain's emotional center, the amygdala , change during addiction. In our recent study with the Telese lab at UCSD, we used cutting-edge technology to look at individual cells in the amygdala to see how they differ between those who are highly vulnerable to addiction and those who are

We are constantly searching for new ways to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD), a condition that affects millions of people and leads to significant health and economic costs. Recently, a type of drug called a PPAR-alpha agonist showed great promise in animal studies, significantly reducing alcohol consumption in mice and rats. In our latest research, we performed a "reverse translational" study to understand why these exciting results didn't carry over to humans in a clinical

Cocaine use disorder is a major public health crisis with significant social and economic costs, yet there are currently no FDA-approved medications to treat it. While genetics certainly play a role in addiction, they do not tell the whole story. In our recent study, we explored the "missing heritability" of addiction by looking at epigenetics , specifically microRNAs (miRNAs) , to see how they change the brain during the difficult periods of withdrawal and long-term abstinen

Smoking remains a massive global health crisis, causing one in ten deaths worldwide. While many people want to quit, the intense grip of nicotine addiction makes it incredibly difficult, with roughly 80% of attempts ending in relapse. In our latest study with the Bardwell lab at HHMI, we used the power of "directed evolution" to supercharge a bacterial enzyme that can eat nicotine in the blood before it ever reaches the brain. The Big Question We focused on an enzyme called N

The opioid epidemic remains a critical public health crisis, fueled in part by the widespread prescription of medications like oxycodone. While these drugs are effective for pain, they carry a high risk for addiction and dangerous side effects like respiratory depression. In our recent study with the de Guglielmo lab, we explored how genetic background and sex influence the way the body processes oxycodone and the development of addiction like behaviors. The Big Question We s

When we study alcohol addiction, we often look at how the brain responds after long periods of heavy use. For years, the standard way to study this in the lab was through "forced" exposure, where subjects are passively given alcohol to reach high levels in their bloodstream. However, we recently developed a new way to look at this process by allowing subjects to choose when and how much alcohol vapor they breathe in, a model we call Ethanol Vapor Self-Administration (EVSA) .

When we talk about drug addiction, we often focus on behavior or the chemistry of "feeling good." But beneath the surface, there is a complex battle happening in the brain’s immune system. Interestingly, this battle doesn’t look the same for everyone. For years, we have noticed that men and women face different challenges with cocaine use disorders, from how quickly they become addicted to how easily they escalate their use and relapse. In our recent study, we uncovered a pot

Nicotine withdrawal is often the biggest hurdle for people trying to quit smoking, yet we still don't fully understand how the brain's internal communication networks change when the drug is removed. Our latest research, published in eNeuro , used advanced whole brain imaging to reveal that nicotine withdrawal doesn't just affect one area; it triggers a massive reorganization of two major cholinergic systems that act as long range hotlines for brain communication. The Questio

The complexity of addiction is often hidden within the intricate wiring of our brains. In our latest book chapter, a collaboration with researchers at UC San Diego and Miami University, we dive deep into the specific circuits of the amygdala to understand how they drive the three stages of addiction: binge and intoxication, withdrawal and negative affect, and preoccupation and anticipation. The Question: How Do Amygdalar Circuits Drive Addiction? The amygdala is not a single