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Ken Wakabayashi

Dr. Ken Wakabayashi Psychostimulant Addiction and Nutrient-Sensing Neurons (PANN): Genetic Targeting to Parse Neuro Pathways

Cocaine and methamphetamine (meth) use disorders may involve nutrient-sensing circuits including melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons in brain areas such as the lateral hypothalamus (LH). This project will determine how cocaine or meth experience affects MCH neuronal activity and LH glucose levels, highlighting a possible mechanism, and verify the role of MCH neurons in regulating addiction-like behavior.

Specific Aims:

(Aim 1): To determine the changes in MCH neuronal activity after psychostimulant experience and link it to extracellular glucose levels in vivo.

(Aim 2): Experiments will determine the functional role of MCH neurons in regulating long access and intermittent access cocaine or methamphetamine self-administration, two approaches that produce addiction-like behavior in rats.

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Nicholas Hubbard

Dr. Nicholas Hubbard Connectomes-Related to Active Methamphetamine-Dependence Project (CAMP)

This project aims to provide objective methods that can be used to aid in identifying future substance use patterns and consequences for individuals who are dependent upon methamphetamine.

Specific Aims:

(Aim 1): Collect key intake biological, psychological, and social measures and outcome measures from 100 IDM.

(Aim 2): Develop biopsychosocial models predicting 6 month-changes in substance use patterns and occupational functioning.

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Hau Chan

Dr. Hau ChanModeling the Co-Evolution of Substance Use Behavior and Peer Networks of Risk/Support (CoSUN)

This project seeks to develop stochastic forecasting machine-learning models for future substance use and future peer risk/support networks at long timescales within months and for future substance use at short timescales within days using data on covariates of individual attributes and peer network features.

Specific Aims:

(Aim 1): Establish validated predictive models for future substance use and future peer risk/support networks at long timescales.

(Aim 2): Identify significant modifiable predictive factors of future substance use at short timescales.

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Matthew Gormley

Dr. Matthew GormleyCollege Aged Substance Use in Educational Settings: Outcomes for Students with ADHD (CASE4ADHD)

The CASE4ADHD project aims to elucidate substance use among college students with rigorously defined ADHD enrolled in 2- and 4-year institutions and its relationship to educational outcomes.

Specific Aims:

(Aim 1): Determine the relationship between frequency of substance use and academic functioning for first-year college students with ADHD enrolled at 2-year and 4-year institutions.

(Aim 2): Identify factors associated with substance use initiation, persistence, and cessation.

(Aim 3): Identify differences in substance use and academic functioning among students with ADHD enrolled in 2- and 4-year institutions.

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