PLEASE FIND OUR NEW CRC TRR265 WEBSITE HERE: www.trr265.org

We have set up a new CRC TRR265 website you can access using this link: www.trr265.org

Collaborative Research Center TRR 265: Losing and regaining control over drug intake

The major risk factor for global death and disability is alcohol and tobacco use. While insight into individual factors promoting the initiation and maintenance of substance use is increasing, a profound lack of knowledge remains as regards modulating factors and mechanisms involved in losing and regaining control over drug intake. Improving treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs) a better understanding of these factors and mechanisms will be crucial to improve treatment of substance use disorders.

The goal of our research consortium is to identify the trajectories of losing and regaining control over drug consumption, to study underlying neurobiological and learning mechanisms, and to provide mechanism-based therapies. These goals will be achieved by (i) using innovative mobile Health (m-Health) tools to longitudinally monitor the effects of triggers (drug cues, stressors, and priming doses) and modifying factors (e.g. age, gender, physical activity, cognitive functions) on alcohol and tobacco consumption patterns in real life conditions and in animal models of addiction, (ii) by the identification and computational modelling of key mechanisms mediating the effects of such triggers and modifying factors on goal-directed, habitual and compulsive aspects of drug consumption in corresponding human studies and animal experiments (tandem projects), and (iii) by subsequently developing interventions that specifically target the underlying mechanisms for regaining control over drug intake.

The trans-regional collaboration project will be funded with 12 million Euro for four years by the Germany Research Foundation (DFG).