Dr. Brendan Tunstall Gains National Support for Opioid Dependence Research

Brendan Tunstall, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology in the College of Graduate Health Sciences at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, was recently awarded $423,500 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for his exploration of a new approach to treat opioid dependence, a pressing global health issue.

Dr. Tunstall, the sole principal investigator on the project, is focusing on Neuropeptide S (NPS), a brain chemical known for its unique profile of reducing anxiety while promoting wakefulness. When NPS interacts with its receptor, Neuropeptide S Receptor 1 (NPSR1), it can calm anxiety without causing drowsiness or sedation, which are common side effects of many current anxiety medications.

"My proposal is based on the idea that activating the NPSR1 receptor in the brain could help counteract stress signaling in the brain and thereby reduce anxious states that are a common feature of opioid dependence, particularly evident during opioid withdrawal," Dr. Tunstall said. "My lab's work is guided by the premise that if we could alleviate the negative emotional states experienced in opioid dependence, then we would remove a major contributing factor to the motivation to seek and use opioids."

By working to identify new mechanisms that could be targeted to modulate brain chemistry without severe side effects, Dr. Tunstall hopes his work will eventually provide much-needed relief for those battling opioid dependence.

"There is also evidence that suggests brain NPSR1 activation can counteract pain signaling. That would further provide relief to people experiencing opioid dependence," he said. "There are at least a couple of good reasons to suspect that brain NPSR1 activation could help to promote abstinence from opioid use."

Dr. Tunstall's ultimate goal is to improve the range of treatments available for opioid use disorder and the often-overlapping disorders of anxiety and pain, which could significantly improve outcomes and quality of life for tens of millions of people in the United States.