MuriPhys supports substance-use research with study-specific delivery, behavioral assessments and functional readouts. These approaches can address selected features of dependence, withdrawal and treatment response in preclinical models.
MuriPhys’ specialized solutions empower researchers to explore novel therapies that target the brain’s reward pathways, offering hope for those affected by substance abuse disorders.
Substance Abuse Research Focus Areas:
Psychoactive Substance Dependence
Understanding the neural circuits involved in psychoactive substance dependence is key to developing effective interventions. MuriPhys utilizes intraparenchymal (IPa), intracerebroventricular (ICV), and intrathecal (IT) delivery methods to target brain regions involved in reward and addiction. Behavioral assays, including conditioned place preference and self-administration models, provide robust data on substance-seeking behavior and dependency.
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
Alcohol use disorder disrupts brain function, leading to cognitive impairment and structural damage. MuriPhys offers systemic and CNS-targeted delivery options to assess therapeutic compounds aimed at restoring neural balance. Our behavioral assays, including open field, rotarod, and shuttle box tests, monitor withdrawal symptoms, anxiety, and motor coordination, providing a comprehensive evaluation of therapeutic impact.
Opioid Addiction
The opioid crisis necessitates advanced models to study dependency and overdose mechanisms. MuriPhys specializes in delivering opioid antagonists and gene therapies directly to the CNS, utilizing ICV and IPa methods to target critical regions such as the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. Behavioral models track tolerance, sensitization, and withdrawal, while electrophysiology assesses changes in neural excitability and synaptic plasticity. Read More.
Why MuriPhys for Substance Abuse Research?
- Drug Delivery: Select IPa, ICV, IT or other appropriate routes for the anatomical target, model and compound.
- Behavioral Assays: Select conditioned-place-preference, anxiety-related, motor or other tests for the specific substance-use question.
- Electrophysiological Insights: EEG and EMG recordings provide valuable biomarkers for neural activity, tracking the effects of substance exposure and withdrawal on brain function.
- Tailored Research Models: MuriPhys customizes each study to reflect the unique dynamics of various substance abuse disorders, supporting that therapeutic development is both precise and impactful.