Enhancing Alcoholism Pharmacotherapy Research via Behavioral Economics

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is the first resubmission of a K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Award application to provide James MacKillop, PhD, with the necessary mentorship and training to conduct high-quality research using behavioral economics to enhance research on pharmacotherapies for alcoholism. A behavioral economic approach may enhance pharmacotherapy research by focusing on medication effects on the relative value of alcohol, facilitating mechanistic analyses, and providing greater translational consilience. The Career Development/Training Plan includes training in: 1) neuroscience and neuropharmacology; 2) laboratory methods in alcoholism pharmacotherapy research; 3) clinical methods for alcoholism pharmacotherapy research; 4) advanced behavioral economics; 5) professional development; 6) responsible conduct of research. The training will be overseen by a mentorship team comprised of Robert Swift, MD, PhD (Sponsor), Peter Monti, PhD (Co-Sponsor), Jennifer Tidey, PhD (Advisor), and Robert Miranda, Jr., PhD (Advisor). The training plan also includes an empirical research project using behavioral economics to examine the effects of topiramate (TOP), a promising novel pharmacotherapy. The proposed study will recruit 60 alcohol dependent individuals who are not seeking treatment and study the effects of TOP under neutral conditions and during the ascending limb of the blood alcohol curve, using a 2 (TOP 300 mg/placebo) X 2 (neutral/ascending limb) mixed design. Based on its putative neuropharmacological actions and correlational clinical data, TOP is predicted to reduce the relative value of alcohol on two behavioral economic measures and potential mediators of TOP'S effects will be examined. For exploratory purposes, the effects of TOP will also be examined during the descending limb of the blood alcohol curve. In addition to serving as critical training, this research may have important clinical and methodological implications. RELEVANCE OF THE RESEARCH TO PUBLIC HEALTH: Medications for treating alcoholism have considerable promise and behavioral economics may enhance research in this area. This K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Award proposal is for Dr. James MacKillop to gain the expertise to conduct such research. The training plan includes mentorship, training, and a research study using behavioral economics to study the effects of topiramate, a promising medication for alcoholism.