# Etiology and Treatment of Alcohol Dependence

> **NIH NIH P50** · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT · 2020 · $1,620,222

## Abstract

This P50 application from the University of Connecticut Alcohol Research Center (UCONN RC) requests five
years of funding for the Center's research programs on vulnerability to alcohol dependence and promising
biological and psychosocial treatment interventions. The Administrative Core describes the UConn ARC's
organizational framework, quality control mechanisms related to research and publications, and supporting
research facilities. The visiting scholars program, consulting and mentoring activities, and journal editorship
activities strengthen the UConn ARC's role as a regional and national resource. Research Project #1 will focus
on several possible drinking to cope (DTC), stress-related pathways (including genetic) that may increase the
susceptibility for developing heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems among former college students six
plus years after graduation. This study will examine changes across 3 assessment waves in day-level
associations among DTC motivation and its antecedents and outcomes and whether changes in these daily
processes are related to individual differences across personality factors and other variables. Continuing our
Center's emphasis on novel treatments, we propose two additional studies. Dual reinforcement contingency
management (CM) for alcohol use disorders, Research Project #2, will evaluate the effects of reinforcing
negative phosphatidylethanol (PEth) results alongside CM for attendance on several outcomes among patients
in community treatment centers. It is hypothesized that this combination will result in greater attendance, more
PEth negative samples, higher proportions of self-reported non-drinking days, and lower proportions of heavy
drinking days. Research study #3 is a placebo controlled trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of dutasteride
among male and females with AUD. Reductions in drinking and the persistence of treatment effects will be
examined. If replicated, the moderation of dutasteride treatment effects by a variant in FKBP5 would expand
the growing list of potential genetic predictors, facilitating the development of personalized medication
treatment recommendations for AUD. Finally, the proposed pilot studies core will support up to six studies that
relate directly to the Center's themes of vulnerability and novel treatments for alcohol dependence and help
support junior investigators and faculty new to alcohol research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9947834
- **Project number:** 5P50AA027055-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT
- **Principal Investigator:** Lance O. Bauer
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1,620,222
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-06-06 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9947834

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9947834, Etiology and Treatment of Alcohol Dependence (5P50AA027055-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9947834. Licensed CC0.

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