Yale University has been awarded a $711,808 federal Project Grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Alcohol Research Programs (CFDA 93.273) to conduct research on the brain dynamics of the acute stress response and neurocognitive mechanisms of chronic alcohol consumption. The 5-year project aims to leverage machine learning and computational modeling to develop and validate whole-brain biomarkers for stress, and test how dynamic engagement of these stress networks can predict individual differences in drinking behavior and alcohol-related cognition. Through a combination of secondary data analysis and new functional MRI data collection, the project will identify stress-predictive neural connections, characterize stress response trajectories, and examine how stress network dynamics modulate learning and memory formation, particularly in individuals with alcohol use disorder. The findings are intended to provide new insights into the neurocognitive underpinnings of alcohol addiction and inform the development of clinically relevant biomarkers for early assessment, intervention, and treatment.
Generated 3/4/25, 5:55 AM