LSU Vet Med researchers receive NIH grant to study brain changes that drive opioid relapse

Researchers at LSU have received a $409,592 grant from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to investigate how opioid use changes the brain in ways that can increase the risk of relapse.

The two-year award, which runs from 2026 to 2028, supports a project led by Ethan Anderson, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences at LSU's School of Veterinary Medicine, in collaboration with co-investigators Olalekan Michael Ogundele, Ph.D., and Charles Lee, Ph.D.

The grant builds on Dr. Anderson's research achievements. He recently received the LSU Alumni Association Rising Faculty Research Award, which recognizes outstanding early-career faculty members whose research demonstrates exceptional promise and impact.

Substance use disorders affect approximately one in 10 people, and opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. have increased dramatically over the past two decades. While treatments for opioid addiction exist, many individuals struggle with relapse, often because opioid use causes lasting changes in the brain.

"Our goal is to better understand how opioids alter brain function and contribute to drug-seeking behavior," Dr. Anderson said. "By identifying the specific brain cells and molecular mechanisms involved, we hope to uncover new targets for future therapies that could help reduce relapse."

The research focuses on a region of the brain called the nucleus accumbens, which plays a central role in reward, motivation and craving. Previous studies have shown that opioid use can alter the activity of neurons in this region, but scientists have not reached a consensus about exactly how those changes occur.

Anderson and his colleagues believe the answer may lie in the fact that different types of brain cells respond to opioids in different ways.

Using advanced neuroscience techniques, the team will examine how heroin use affects several distinct populations of neurons within the nucleus accumbens. They will also investigate the role of a molecule known as SCN1b, a component of sodium channels that helps regulate communication between nerve cells.

Earlier work from Dr. Anderson's laboratory found that heroin use reduces SCN1b levels in the nucleus accumbens. That reduction appears to make neurons more excitable and may increase drug-seeking behavior. The new study will determine which specific brain cell types are affected and whether restoring normal function could help reduce opioid seeking.

The project is among the first to systematically examine opioid-related changes across multiple major cell types in the nucleus accumbens, including some that have received less attention in addiction research. The researchers will study four key cell populations to better understand how opioids alter brain function and contribute to craving and relapse.

The findings could provide important new insights into the biological processes that drive opioid craving and relapse, helping researchers identify new approaches for treating substance use disorders.

"This work is ultimately about understanding why relapse occurs," Dr. Anderson said. "The better we understand the underlying brain mechanisms, the better equipped we will be to develop interventions that help people maintain recovery."

The project reflects LSU's commitment to advancing biomedical research that addresses critical public health challenges. By bringing together expertise from the Drs. Anderson, Ogundele and Lee laboratories, the study strengthens the school's expanding neuroscience research portfolio and contributes to discoveries that could ultimately improve the lives of individuals and families affected by addiction.

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