NIH R01 · 2024
The effects of gestational opioid exposure on the maternal brain, behavior and microbiome
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a global epidemic affecting a high proportion of child-bearing women. The drastic 4-fold increase in OUD among pregnant women from 1999-2014 has promoted opioid maintenance therapies (OMT) such as buprenorphine (BUP) to mitigate effects associated with opioid abuse. BUP is a mixed (partial mu-receptor agonist/kappa-receptor antagonist) semi-synthetic OMT that produces better infant outcomes after gestational treatment as compared to other OMTs (i.e. methadone). However, effects of BUP on pregnant women transitioning to motherhood is not well understood. Endogenous opioids play a significant role in orchestrating neuronal adaptations within the maternal brain…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.