# Neurobiological Mechanisms Linking Acute Alcohol Intoxication to Impulsivity and Cigarette Craving in Nondaily Smokers

> **NIH NIH K01** · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $183,179

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 The purpose of this study is to investigate the neurobiological mechanisms that link acute alcohol
intoxication with cigarette use in young nondaily smokers (ages 21-25). Nondaily smokers experience fewer
symptoms of cigarette withdrawal than daily smokers; however, they still experience difficulty quitting. Since
smoking cessation before the age of 30 substantially attenuates the long-term health consequences
associated with smoking, understanding the factors that motivate cigarette use in young nondaily smokers and
developing tailored interventions will be critical for curbing cigarette use and improving public health. The
proposed project will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine how acute alcohol
intoxication impacts brain function and will assess the extent to which alcohol-induced changes in brain
function correlate with impulsive choice, cigarette craving, and craving regulation in young adults. Furthermore,
we will assess how alcohol-induced changes in brain function, impulsivity, craving, and capacity for craving
regulation predict cigarette use over the course of 1 year.
 This K01 application advances the PI's long-term research goal of establishing an independent line of
research examining neurobiological markers that confer risk for future substance use disorder using
multimodal neuroimaging techniques. The proposed training plan will enable the PI to develop skills and
expertise in five primary areas: 1) design and implementation of longitudinal studies, 2) task-based and resting-
state fMRI, 3) advanced statistical methods, 4) the assessment of acute neurobiological responses to drugs
and 5) the neurobiological underpinnings of impulsive choice. The training program combines formal
coursework with mentorship from experienced consultants who are experts in the proposed areas of training.
This project will leverage the intellectual and institutional support at OHSU and in Dr. Nagel's Developmental
Brain Imaging Laboratory in order to develop a new line of research that will form the foundation for a career as
an independent researcher.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10125984
- **Project number:** 5K01DA046649-03
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Angelica Marie Morales
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $183,179
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10125984

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10125984, Neurobiological Mechanisms Linking Acute Alcohol Intoxication to Impulsivity and Cigarette Craving in Nondaily Smokers (5K01DA046649-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10125984. Licensed CC0.

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