Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) awarded The Leland Stanford Junior University a Project Grant of $597,138 on May 1, 2026, to conduct research on extended amygdala arousal circuitry and alcohol-induced sleep disruption through March 31, 2031. Under the Alcohol Research Programs (CFDA 93.273), this award supports fundamental neuroscience research investigating the neural mechanisms linking chronic alcohol exposure to sleep disruption and the reciprocal relationship between poor sleep quality and increased alcohol use disorder (AUD) liability. The research employs novel fluorescent sensors (GRABCRF and GRABCCK) to achieve unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution in recording neuropeptide signaling, with particular focus on corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and cholecystokinin (CCK) neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST).

The project addresses a significant gap in the literature by examining alcohol-sleep interactions in both male and female subjects within emotional brain centers, specifically investigating how extended amygdala neurons control sleep/wake states and contribute to alcohol use vulnerability. The research deliverables include mechanistic circuit discoveries linking emotional states to sleep/wake systems and innovative approaches for treating co-morbid AUD and sleep disruption, with the ultimate goal of advancing new treatment strategies based on rigorous preclinical investigation conducted at Stanford's Palo Alto, California facility.