Circuits of Addiction

A new direction the Wang lab is pursuing is pinpointing circuits that play a role in opioid addiction. Wang and her team have identified neurons that are either activated or suppressed by morphine. They are currently testing the hypothesis that specific groups of morphine-inhibited neurons, when re-activated, can cause animals to crave less morphine and undertake non-drug-seeking activities. Once critical brain circuits and clusters of neurons involved in morphine-addiction are identified, the Wang lab will examine their connectivity, plasticity, and changes in function when influenced by morphine. Gaining a deeper understanding of how drugs of abuse affect these circuits will help pave the way for future treatments