1 - Introduction

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages applications that propose to conduct mechanistic studies on the relationship between excessive alcohol drinking, alcohol dependence and pain. An association between chronic pain conditions and alcohol dependence has been revealed in numerous studies with episodes of alcohol abuse antedating chronic pain in some people and alcohol dependence emerging after the onset of chronic pain in others. Pain transmission and alcohol’s reinforcing effects share overlapping neural substrates giving rise to the possibility that chronic pain states significantly affect alcohol use patterns and promote the development of dependence and addiction. In addition, long term alcohol intoxication and alcohol dependence induce pain symptoms and may exacerbate chronic pain arising from other sources. The objective of this FOA is to understand genetic, pharmacological and learning mechanisms underlying the association between the propensity to drink excessively alcohol and pain responses.

2 - Scope

Appropriate topics include but are not limited to:

*Studying pharmacological mechanisms of acute alcohol analgesia in multiple pain models and their relationship to alcohol reinforcement and reward.

*Identifying shared genetic influences on pain measures and alcohol dependence phenotypes.

*Using functional neuroimaging studies to examine brain processing of painful stimulation and ethanol effects on pain transmission in subjects at risk for alcohol dependence.

*Use functional neuroimaging studies to examine the common mechanisms relating pain to alcohol dependence and vice versa

*Studying the interaction between alcohol and opioids during chronic use.

*Identifying the overlap in neuroadaptation associated with alcohol use disorders and chronic pain

*Identifying neuroimmune pathways involved in hyperalgesia resulting from chronic alcohol exposure.

*NIDA is interested in understanding the basic molecular mechanisms of the interactions between alcohol and opioid receptors and their effects on pain. Also of importance is delineating these interactions during the transition from acute to chronic pain.

3 - Eligibility

US and foreign Higher Education Institutions; Non-profits other than institutions of Higher Education; for-profit organisations; for-profit organisations; governments, and other civil society organisations in general.

4 - Budget

The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.

5 - Duration

The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. The maximum project period is 5 years.

6 - Deadline

* VHIR deadline is 26/01/2015.

* The official deadline is 05/02/2015.

7 - More information

More information can be found here: LINK