# Behavioral and Neurochemical Mechanisms Underlying Stress-Precipitated Drinking

> **NIH NIH K01** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $162,947

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The overarching goal of this Mentored Research Scientist Development Award K01 application is to provide
Dr. Verplaetse with the requisite skills and protected time to become an independent translational and clinical
investigator in the field of addiction neuroscience. Dr. Verplaetse's research will focus on the behavioral and
neurochemical mechanisms underlying stress-precipitated drinking behaviors in individuals with alcohol use
disorders versus social drinkers. With this K01, Dr. Verplaetse's training will assist her in developing and
designing innovative research in the field of alcohol addiction by gaining a better understanding of: (1) PET
imaging techniques to examine neurochemical mechanisms underlying stress-precipitated drinking behavior;
(2) techniques for stress induction to assess the ability to resist drinking and stress-precipitated alcohol
consumption in the human laboratory; (3) translational mechanisms by which neuroscience is integrated with
human laboratory investigations to facilitate novel research ideas and hypotheses related to alcohol and stress
system reactivity; and {{{(4) sex differences in stress-related drinking and associated mechanisms}}}. The
opportunities afforded by the K01 mechanism would enable the candidate to embark on a rigorous, structured
5-year program of mentorship, training, and research, designed to provide her with the necessary skills in the
areas highlighted above and to become an independent research scientist. This program of study will combine
formal didactic training (e.g., courses on Ethical and Practical Issues in Clinical Investigation and
Neuroimaging in Neuropsychiatry), attendance to scientific research conferences, structured meetings with
mentors and collaborators, and one-on-one mentored research training. In pursuit of this goal, the candidate
proposes to undertake further training in three primary areas: (1) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging
using a novel radiotracer to measure HPA axis reactivity in the living human brain; (2) human laboratory
modeling of stress-precipitated drinking behavior; and (3) advanced statistical training for the evaluation and
integration of PET imaging data and stress-precipitated drinking data. The research component, which is
synergistic with the training program, is focused on the elucidation of neurochemical mechanisms underlying
stress-precipitated alcohol-motivated behaviors and the role of the HPA axis and glucocorticoid systems in
individuals with alcohol use disorders. Dr. Verplaetse's long-term research goal is to use a combined PET and
human laboratory paradigm to further understand the mechanisms underlying stress-induced alcohol-seeking
and consumption to identify novel treatment targets for alcohol use disorders, with an emphasis on gender-
sensitive treatment development. This interfaces with her long-term training goal of developing translational
research skills that will better enable her to independentl...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9967912
- **Project number:** 5K01AA025670-03
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Terril L Verplaetse
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $162,947
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9967912

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9967912, Behavioral and Neurochemical Mechanisms Underlying Stress-Precipitated Drinking (5K01AA025670-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9967912. Licensed CC0.

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