# Longitudinal neuroimaging and statistical genetics modeling of substance use and trauma-related phenotypes

> **NIH NIH F31** · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $40,689

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 Childhood and early adolescence are especially vulnerable developmental stages where experiencing
traumatic events (TEs) would increase the liability and risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSD)
and substance use (SU) disorder (SUD) later in life. These phenotypes frequently co-occur, and this comorbidity
is associated with increased negative outcomes (e.g. decreased social function and treatment compliance,
increased risk for violence and suicidal ideation/attempts). Given the complex and multifactorial etiology of these
conditions, there is a need for multimethod studies aimed at increasing the understanding of their etiology
including genetic and neurodevelopmental factors. Thus far, studies investigating the genetic factors and brain
regions of interest (ROIs) thought to influence these phenotypes have largely focused on adults and the majority
have been cross-sectional. For this reason, we will use a large (N=11,878) longitudinal sample (Adolescent Brain
Cognitive Development [ABCD] study, site-PIs: Drs. Neale and Bjork) to investigate, via Aim 1, the occurrence
and type of TEs, other risk factors (e.g., conduct disorder symptoms, parental style; see Research Strategy C.3
section), and their influence on PTSD-symptoms and SU-phenotypes development from childhood to early
adolescence. Aim 2 will utilize structural magnetic resonance imaging longitudinal data to estimate statistics of
the mediational role of alterations of volume of brain ROIs on the trajectories of PTSD-symptoms and SU-
phenotypes. Finally, as SUD and PTSD are moderately heritable, Aim 3 will assess the genetic architecture (e.g.
GWAS), generate and use polygenic risk scores to investigate the etiology, trajectories, strength and direction
of the relationships across time influencing the early signs and development of PTSD-symptoms and SU-
phenotypes. Both molecular genetic and phenotypic analyses (including GCTA, LDSC, Cross-Lagged Panel
Analysis, Genome-Wide Structural Equation Modeling) will be applied. This proposal has four training goals to
be met via a multi-modal training plan. The first training goal is to develop a deeper scientific knowledge and
expertise in PTSD and SUD phenotypes. Second is to become knowledgeable in neuroimaging research and its
intersection with genetics and psychopathology. The third goal is to expand proficiency in advanced molecular
and statistical genetics modeling. Fourth is to increase professional development training that will enhance
academic proficiency. This project is intended to extend the understanding of the contribution of etiological
factors (genetic, neurodevelopmental, environmental) and processes involved in the development of PTSD-
symptoms and SU-phenotypes during childhood and early adolescence, and offer insights for clinical
applications—strategic prevention and treatment of PTSD and SUD. This NRSA proposal aligns with the mission
of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) on advanc...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10315809
- **Project number:** 1F31DA053086-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Daniel Bustamante
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $40,689
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10315809

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10315809, Longitudinal neuroimaging and statistical genetics modeling of substance use and trauma-related phenotypes (1F31DA053086-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10315809. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*