# Cell-specific epigenetic and transcriptomic signatures of impulsivity and its regulation by stress in the nucleus accumbens

> **NIH NIH R21** · TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH · 2024 · $119,593

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Current therapies for opioid use disorder are focused on alleviating withdrawal symptoms
associated with cessation of opioid use, which has led to improved treatment outcomes. An
important emerging approach to tackling the opioid crisis focuses on prevention efforts. A better
understanding of the factors that contribute to the transition from the initial opioid exposure to
development of a substance use disorder is needed to improve existing preventative measures.
In this proposal, we combine rodent behavioral models of early life adversity, which are known to
influence addiction-related endophenotypes, with combined cell type-specific transcriptomics and
epigenomics to develop a more complete picture of the molecular signatures that are predictive
of resilience to substance abuse. The brain is highly heterogeneous and revealing the cell-type
specific changes in gene expression and chromatin accessibility constitutes a potentially
transformative advance that can be leveraged to tailor pain management and initial opioid
treatments. The proposal focuses on the nucleus accumbens core, a brain region critical for
impulsivity and addiction-related behaviors. This grant lays to foundation for reducing the
transition from initial exposure to uncontrolled and compulsive use in individuals treated with
opioids. Deliverables under this award include detailed cell-type specific maps of the effect of
early life stress on the transcriptome and epigenome of the nucleus accumbens core and
identification of the neural cell types associated with human impulsivity, a reliable proxy for
addiction liability and susceptibility.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10848182
- **Project number:** 5R21DA055846-02
- **Recipient organization:** TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Debra A Bangasser
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $119,593
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10848182

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10848182, Cell-specific epigenetic and transcriptomic signatures of impulsivity and its regulation by stress in the nucleus accumbens (5R21DA055846-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10848182. Licensed CC0.

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