# Integrative Epigenomic Mapping of Co-Morbid OUD and PTSD

> **NIH NIH R21** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $196,350

## Abstract

Project Summary
Opioid use disorder (OUD) often co-occurs with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), particularly in the
veteran population. People with comorbid OUD and PTSD (OUD+PTSD) exhibit worse health and physical
outcomes and poor treatment response. Previous studies have found that dopaminergic signaling (DAergic)
within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a key role in the modulation of the cognitive and affective effects of
stress exposure (i.e., PTSD) in opioid abuse vulnerability. PFC neuronal modulation involved in drug abuse
and stress response may be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. PAS-18-625 calls for research to
investigate the mechanisms of psychosocial stress on opioid use patterns. In this study, we hypothesize that
the PFC’s modulatory role on cognitive and affective effects of comorbid OUD+PTSD may be mediated by
epigenetic mechanisms. For this, we will examine neuron-specific epigenetic profiles within the DAergic system
and at a genome-wide level, in postmortem PFC of people with comorbid OUD+PTSD. A total of 48
postmortem brain samples from the Veteran Affair’s National PTSD Brain Bank (VA-NPBB) will be examined.
We will investigate the methylome, hydroxymethylome, and transcriptome in the context of comorbid
OUD+PTSD and will integrate the different –omics datasets generated to identify gene networks associated
with these disorders. This study will increase our understanding on the biological mechanisms that underlie
comorbid OUD+PTSD needed to uncover novel targets for preventative, prognostic, and treatment efforts.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9876471
- **Project number:** 1R21DA050160-01
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Janitza Liz Montalvo-Ortiz
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $196,350
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9876471

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9876471, Integrative Epigenomic Mapping of Co-Morbid OUD and PTSD (1R21DA050160-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9876471. Licensed CC0.

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