# Neural Signature Changes Across Early Abstinence in Alcohol Use Disorder

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2024 · $545,282

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Alcohol use accounts for 1 in 5 deaths of individuals aged 20 to 49 years old, and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
is associated with deficits in brain structure and function, but it remains unclear which of these brain
abnormalities can recover when alcohol use stops. Understanding brain changes associated with early
abstinence occurring through evidence-based residential treatment may offer insights into the biological basis
of AUD and potential therapeutic targets. This proposal aims to fill a gap in understanding how the neural
mechanisms associated with cognitive reappraisal (e.g., prefrontal cortex [PFC]) and alcohol cue reactivity
(e.g., striatum) change during early abstinence, and whether changes in these mechanisms can predict the
individuals most likely to return to heavy alcohol use. We and others have shown that, relative to healthy
adults, individuals with AUD have greater difficulties with emotion regulation and greater craving and alcohol
cue reactivity. Yet, it remains unclear how abstinence affects brain function during reappraisal and cue
reactivity, and how this relates to risk for future alcohol use. Here, we propose to study patients with AUD (N =
150) engaged in ecologically-valid residential treatment to determine the neural mechanisms that change
during early abstinence and if they indicate risk for return to heavy drinking. We will assess these individuals
using fMRI within 4 days of admission to treatment and again within 2 days before discharge. We will also
follow participants for 6 months to assess frequency of heavy drinking. We will use cutting-edge analytic
techniques to maximize our ability to observe differences. Specifically, we will use multivariate pattern analysis
to quantify neural signatures of reappraisal and cue reactivity. We and others have developed models can
accurately identify brain activation associated with a) cognitive reappraisal and b) cue reactivity to drug stimuli.
These processes likely reflect circuit-driven neural underpinnings, thus in addition to neural signatures we will
examine connectivity between PFC and subcortical regions linked to craving and emotional reactivity. We can
then use machine learning algorithms to identify relationships between neural signatures, connectivity, and
variables associated with relapse risk, such as craving and poor emotional coping skills. We will use these
models to test our central hypothesis that neural function associated with reappraisal and alcohol cue reactivity
will change across abstinence and indicate likelihood of treatment success. Specific Aims are to 1) determine
how neural mechanisms related to reappraisal and alcohol cue-reactivity change across early abstinence
during treatment, 2) determine how circuit strength between the PFC and subcortical regions change across
early abstinence, and 3) identify neuroimaging variables that prospectively predict return to heavy drinking. The
proposal will improve understanding of th...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10978781
- **Project number:** 1R01AA031244-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Joshua Leigh Gowin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $545,282
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2029-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10978781

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10978781, Neural Signature Changes Across Early Abstinence in Alcohol Use Disorder (1R01AA031244-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10978781. Licensed CC0.

---

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