# Investigating individual differences in alcohol abstinence associated anxiety and depression across the BNST network.

> **NIH NIH P60** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $363,244

## Abstract

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are disabling and prevalent conditions that affect almost one-third of Americans.
While initial treatments exist, relapse is common, making long-term recovery difficult. Given the high rates of
relapse, interventions that seek to prevent relapse have high potential impact. Animal models have shown that
the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is heavily implicated in alcohol dependence, alcohol withdrawal,
and withdrawal-induced alcohol seeking. Neuroadaptive changes in response to chronic alcohol exposure
modify BNST function through multiple processes. During abstinence, these changes in the BNST are
associated with heightened negative affect and potentially relapse through negative reinforcement. While
animal models of addiction are heavily studied under the assumption of their utility in translation to humans, a
major unmet need in the field is to translate these animal models to humans. A major barrier to this work has
been technological limitations in neuroimaging of the BNST because of its small size. We have recently
overcome this challenge. We have characterized the BNST neural circuitry in humans and developed novel
methods to test BNST function. Our team also conducted an NIAAA funded R21 pilot study of BNST function
and connectivity during abstinence in humans with an AUD. We confirmed alterations in a BNST network in
early abstinence. However, one of the most striking findings was that there is substantial heterogeneity in
anxiety and depression symptoms; critically, variation in symptoms was correlated with BNST function and
connectivity. Data from a large residential treatment sample further points to several subgroups, or
phenotypes, of how negative affect changes across the first 30 days of abstinence. Together, these findings
highlight that early abstinence is not homogenous and that important individual differences exist. The goal of
this project is use precision neuroscience methods to establish BNST circuits associated with negative affect
during early abstinence and to forward-translate findings from rodent model lab studies. The Vanderbilt Alcohol
Research & Education Center will provide the infrastructure needed to perform forward-translational and
reverse-translational studies. The current study will investigate three specific aims: (1) Identify and characterize
negative affect phenotypes during early abstinence; (2) Test the hypothesis that alterations in BNST network
function and connectivity are associated with individual differences in negative affect; (3) Forward Translation:
Test novel anatomical pathways identified by Projects 2-4. The successful completion of this study, in close
collaboration with the Research Core and other Research Components, will fill a critical knowledge gap in
identifying the neurobiological basis of individual differences in negative affect during abstinence and will
cross-validate the pathways identified in Projects 2-4. The results will provide foundati...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10739569
- **Project number:** 1P60AA031124-01
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jennifer Urbano Blackford
- **Activity code:** P60 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $363,244
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-03-15 → 2029-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10739569

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10739569, Investigating individual differences in alcohol abstinence associated anxiety and depression across the BNST network. (1P60AA031124-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10739569. Licensed CC0.

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