News & Updates
New paper on retinoic acid depletion and fentanyl self-administration
Our latest study shows that depleting retinoic acid synthesis in the nucleus accumbens shell produces a protective phenotype for emotional reactivity and drug-taking in rats.
Read more →New NIDA R-series grant: Frustration effects on drug taking
Awarded new funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to investigate frustration effects on drug-taking behavior (2024–2029).
New paper on frustration and fentanyl in enriched vs. isolated rats
Wunsch, Hwang, Funke et al. publish in Psychopharmacology examining frustration-related behavior and fentanyl self-administration.
Frustration research featured in national press
Our study identifying frustration as a fourth factor in addiction was covered by ScienceDaily, Neuroscience News, News-Medical.net, and UTMB News.
Read more →Lever-press duration paper published
Vasquez et al. publish foundational frustration measurement study in Psychopharmacology — lever-press duration as a real-time measure of frustration.
R01 awarded for retinoic acid signaling research
Awarded NIH R01 DA047102 with co-PI Dr. Fernanda Laezza to investigate retinoic acid signaling as a novel factor for addiction-related behavior.