Early life stress and AUD: identifying neural and real-world targets for mechanism-based interventions (A04)

• Subject Area: Biological Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience ; Biological Psychiatry ; Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ; Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience ; Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 402170461

Building on the investigation of real-world triggers and neural moderators of alcohol use in AUD in the first grant period, this study deepens the mechanistic investigation of the role of early life stress (ELS), an important risk factor for the development of AUD. Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), neuroimaging, and neurophysiological studies, we will examine the real-world mechanisms by which prior ELS exposure influences craving and alcohol use in adolescents and young adults with established ELS exposure, identify the neurobiological mechanisms underlying ELS-related risk for AUD, and identify neural and real-world targets for future mechanism-based interventions

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 265: Losing and Regaining Control over Drug Intake: From Trajectories to Mechanisms to Interventions
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Ulrich Ebner-Priemer; Professorin Christine Heim, Ph.D.; Professorin Dr. Heike Tost