Grant: Project Grant

Alcohol use disorder occurs commonly in patients with schizophrenia and dramatically worsens the overall course of this severe psychiatric disorder. Unfortunately, few treatment options are available to limit alcohol use in this population. This study, employing a rat model of schizophrenia and alcohol use disorder, aims to study the neurobiological mechanisms underlying alcohol use disorder in patients with schizophrenia, with an eye toward developing new treatments. First, using magnetic resonance imaging methods akin to those used in patients, we will assess whether dysfunctions in the brain reward circuit can predict future alcohol intake in this model. Second, employing tools to specifically manipulate communication in the brain reward circuit, we will assess whether this manipulation of the brain reward circuit alters alcohol drinking in the NVHL rat. Lastly, we will use magnetic resonance imaging methods assessing communication between brain regions to study the impact of an antipsychotic that is known to reduce alcohol drinking on dysfunctions in brain reward circuit connectivity, with an eye toward developing novel treatments with this information.