# Shared mechanisms of alcohol use disorder and Anxiety and effects of the endocannabinoid system

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO · 2021 · $40,836

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Anxiety disorders and alcohol related disorders (ARD) are both physiologically inflammatory and
psychologically debilitating illnesses with high individual and societal costs. In addition, the presence of alcohol
use related disorder (ARD) can double the odds of having an anxiety-related disorder. Current treatment
options for anxiety disorders or ARDs may be effective in alleviating symptoms for one disorder, but may
exacerbate symptoms for the other. Available treatments generally do not target their shared neurobiological
mechanisms, in turn highlighting the lack of an objective marker of systemic and neurobiological change
associated with both conditions, and limiting the effectiveness of unifocal diagnostic tools and therapeutic
targets. Furthermore, there are additional challenges for sexual and ethnic minorities with ARDs or anxiety
disorders, including increased stigma, problems accessing care, and exposure to discrimination, all of which
are sorely understudied. There is a need for new therapeutic targets that are studied more equitably across
diverse groups that account for both physiological effects of anxiety symptomology and comorbidity with ARDs.
One such potential target may be the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and its relationship with inflammatory
processes. Promisingly, exogenous cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) have been shown to differentially
act on inflammatory mechanisms of the ECS, and CBD alone or with THC may also dose-dependently
decrease reward response to alcohol, have anxiolytic properties, be assistive to extinction learning, and
possibly stimulate neurosteroidogenesis, which is thought to support fear extinction and limit hyperarousal.
 Thus, this study will investigate the effects of exogenous cannabinoids among anxiety-symptomatic
participants on alcohol consumption, subjective anxiety symptoms, and a shared biomarker summary risk
score for anxiety and ARDs. Furthermore, given the current underrepresentation of sexual and ethnic
minorities in research on anxiety and ARDs, this study will focus on these populations as well as investigate
the effects of discrimination-related stress on the same outcomes. The long-term goal of this proposal is to
expand upon the applicant’s background in conducting inclusive research among underrepresented groups
while building expertise in the neurobiology and psychopharmacology of co-occurring psychological and
substance use disorders. The eventual development of an integrated, evidence-based treatment model that is
inclusive of equitable and diverse samples and is broadly applicable across patients is a distant, yet wholly
worthwhile goal which this project supports.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10315513
- **Project number:** 1F31AA029632-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
- **Principal Investigator:** Renee Martin-Willett
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $40,836
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10315513

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10315513, Shared mechanisms of alcohol use disorder and Anxiety and effects of the endocannabinoid system (1F31AA029632-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10315513. Licensed CC0.

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