Abstract

ThepurposeoftheproposedPathwaystoIndependenceawardistoassistthecandidateindeveloping researchskillsrelevanttoalcoholphenotypesandpsychiatricgeneticmethods.Thecandidate?sultimate careergoalistofunctionasanindependent,extramurallyfundedresearcherwithinanacademicresearch institution.Specifically,thecandidateaimstodevelopaprogramofresearchfocusedontheinvestigationof biologicalandpsychosocialfactorsrelatedtotheetiologyandmaintenanceofposttraumaticstressdisorder (PTSD)andalcoholusedisorders(AUDs),frequentlycooccurringclinicalconditionsthatarehighlyimpairing andrepresentmajorpublichealthconcerns.TheK99trainingphaseoftheawardwouldoccurunderthe mentorshipofDrs.KennethKendlerandAnandaAmstadterattheVirginiaInstituteforPsychiatricand BehavioralGenetics(VIPBG),oneofthetopresearchinstitutesintheworldforpsychiatricgeneticresearch. TheproposedpostdoctoraltrainingandsupportfromthePathwaystoIndependencemechanismwouldallow thecandidatetomergeherexistingexperienceinhumanlaboratorymethodologieswithnoveltrainingin alcoholphenotypes,psychiatricgeneticmethods,andadvanceddataanalytictechniques,allowingforthe investigationofriskforcooccurringPTSDandAUDsfromamultimethodperspective.Thetrainingplan includesanumberofcomplementaryapproaches,suchasformalcourseworkanddidactics(e.g.,seminars, workshops),individualmentorship,advancedstatisticaltraining,disseminationactivities,trainingintheethical conductofresearch,andexperiencewithgrantsmanshipactivities.TheproposedK99study,tailoredwiththe traininggoalsinmind,aimstocapitalizeonaNIAAAfundedmeritaward(PI:Kendler)toexaminegeneticand environmentalfactorsrelatedtoPTSDsymptoms,distresstolerance,andcopingorienteddrinkinginyoung adults.Specifically,theaimsoftheK99studyareto:(1)detectgeneticvariationandidentifyfunctionalgene groupsrelatedtoPTSDandcopingorienteddrinking?and(2)examinewhetherdistresstolerancemediatesa relationshipbetweenPTSDandcopingorienteddrinkingafteraccountingforsharedgeneticvariationbetween PTSDandcopingorienteddrinking.Theproposedstudyisclinicallysignificant,inthatitwouldincreaseour understandingofgeneticandenvironmentalfactorsunderlyingPTSDAUDcooccurrence,therebyinforming thedevelopmentoftargetedpreventionandearlyinterventionstrategies.

Public Health Relevance

Approximatelyhalfofindividualsseekingtreatmentforalcoholusedisorders(AUD)meetcurrentcriteriafor posttraumaticstressdisorder(PTSD).GiventhatindividualswithcooccurringAUDPTSDhavepoorer treatmentoutcomes,itisimportanttoincreaseourunderstandingoftheetiologyandmaintenanceofthese debilitatingclinicalconditions.Investigatingbothgeneticandpsychosocialfactorsunderlyingkeyprocessesin AUDPTSDcooccurrence(e.g.,drinkingforselfmedicationreasons),hasthepotentialtoinformpersonalized interventiontechniquesforatriskindividuals.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Transition Award (R00)
Project #
4R00AA022385-03
Application #
9035826
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (NSS)
Program Officer
Parsian, Abbas
Project Start
2015-07-01
Project End
2018-03-31
Budget Start
2015-07-01
Budget End
2016-03-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
$246,492
Indirect Cost
$89,946

  Institution

Name
University of Virginia
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
065391526
City
Charlottesville
State
VA
Country
United States
Zip Code
22904

  Publications

Berenz, Erin C; Roberson-Nay, Roxann; Latendresse, Shawn J et al. (2017) Posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol dependence: Epidemiology and order of onset. Psychol Trauma 9:485-492
Berenz, Erin C; Cho, Seung Bin; Overstreet, Cassie et al. (2016) Longitudinal investigation of interpersonal trauma exposure and alcohol use trajectories. Addict Behav 53:67-73
Berenz, Erin C; Kevorkian, Salpi; Chowdhury, Nadia et al. (2016) Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, and alcohol-use motives in college students with a history of interpersonal trauma. Psychol Addict Behav 30:755-763