News & Events
Press release of Dr. Flores-Ramirez’s publication.
March 29, 2024; La Jolla, CA
“LY2444296—a compound that selectively blocks the kappa opioid receptor (KOP)—may reduce drinking in cases of alcohol dependence in animal studies.”
“The findings, which were published March 9, 2024, in Scientific Reports, could eventually inform new treatment options for people who experience alcohol use disorder (AUD). The KOP system controls brain circuits that affect a range of neurological processes, including addiction, emotion, pain and reward seeking. Both acute and chronic exposure to alcohol negatively affects this system, according to the study’s first author, Francisco Flores-Ramirez, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Scripps Research.”
Excerpted from the Scripps Research Press Room.
An amazing opportunity with Spectrum News to discuss our most recent work on opioid use disorder!
Check out the segment here! http://specne.ws/rQZVv6
October 2, 2023; La Jolla, CA
Dr. Remi Martin-Fardon’s interview with NBC San Diego on our latest findings with DORA-12 and opioid use disorder.
Check it out here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edNGopqgAW4
September 15, 2023; La Jolla, CA
Press release of Dr. Illenberger’s publication.
September 6, 2023; La Jolla, CA
“A good night’s sleep has many proven health benefits, and a new Scripps Research study suggests one more: preventing opioid relapse.”
“In the new study, published online in Neuropharmacology on August 12, 2023, scientists gave an experimental insomnia treatment to rats experiencing oxycodone withdrawal. The researchers found that the animals were far less likely to seek out drugs again in the future—even after ending the treatment. These findings could eventually lead to therapies to help prevent opioid addiction or relapse in humans.”
Excerpted from Scripps Research Press Room.
Press release of Dr. Illenberger’s publication.
July 25, 2023; La Jolla, CA
“Over the last decade, opioid abuse and overdoses have reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Now, Scripps Research scientists show that a drug that activates metabotropic glutamate 2 receptors in the brain can reduce oxycodone intake and drug-seeking behavior in an animal model of opioid use disorder (OUD).”
“Importantly, the drug was able to reduce oxycodone intake and relapse without disrupting other reward responses in the brain, which could result in negative side effects. The team published their findings on July 20, 2023, in the journal Neuropharmacology.”
Excerpted from Scripps Research Press Room.
New publication from Dr. Jessica Illenberger.
August 2023
Check out Dr. Illenberger’s new Publication:
Illenberger JM, Flores-Ramirez FJ, Pascasio G, Matzeu A, Martin-Fardon R. Daily treatment with the dual orexin receptor antagonist DORA-12 during oxycodone abstinence decreases oxycodone conditioned reinstatement. Neuropharmacology. 2023 Aug 12:109685. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109685. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37579870.
New publication from Dr. Jessica Illenberger.
July 2023
Check out Dr. Illenberger’s new Publication:
Illenberger JM, Flores-Ramirez FJ, Matzeu A, Lütjens R, Martin-Fardon R. ADX106772, an mGlu2 receptor positive allosteric modulator, selectively attenuates oxycodone taking and seeking. Neuropharmacology. 2023 Nov 1;238:109666. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109666. Epub 2023 Jul 16. PMID: 37463637.
46th Annual RSA Scientific Meeting
June 24-28, 2023; Bellevue, WA
Dr. Martin-Fardon was selected to be part of a panel and gave an oral communication on his findings while Dr. Flores-Ramirez presented a poster with his latest findings:
“Take My Stress Away (From the Amygdala): Exploring the Effects of Alcohol on the CRF System Outside Traditional Brain Regions” 46th Annual RSA Scientific Meeting, Bellevue, Washington.
Flores-Ramirez FJ, Illenberger JM, Pascasio GE, Matzeu A, Mason BJ, Martin-Fardon R. Alternative use of suvorexant (Belsomra®) for the prevention of alcohol drinking and seeking in rats with a history of alcohol dependence. Front Behav Neurosci. 2022 46th Annual RSA Scientific Meeting, Bellevue, Washington.
CPDD 85th Annual Scientific Meeting
June 17-21, 2023; Denver, CO
Dr. Jessica Illenberger was selected to give an oral communication on her latest findings:
Illenberger JM, Flores-Ramirez FJ, Matzeu A, Mason BJ, Martin-Fardon R. Suvorexant, an FDA-approved dual orexin receptor antagonist, reduces oxycodone self-administration and conditioned reinstatement in male and female rats. Front Pharmacol. 2023, 85th Annual Scientific Meeting, Denver, Colorado.
Press release of Dr. Illenberger’s publication.
April 27, 2023; La Jolla, CA
“The insomnia drug suvorexant (Belsomra®) might be an effective treatment for opioid use disorder, according to a preclinical study from Scripps Research.”
In the study, published April 27, 2023, in Frontiers in Pharmacology, the Scripps Research scientists found that suvorexant reduced prescription opioid intake and helped protect against relapse in rats modeling opioid use disorder (OUD). If the results translate to humans in clinical trials, the insomnia drug could offer a promising approach for the millions of people who have OUD.”
Excerpted from Scripps Research Press Room.
Press release of Dr. Flores-Ramirez’s publication.
January 10, 2023; La Jolla, CA
“An insomnia drug has shown promise as a potential treatment for alcohol use disorder, in a preclinical study from Scripps Research.”
“The drug, suvorexant (Belsomra®), blocks the activity of brain-cell receptors called orexin receptors, which normally help regulate wakefulness, appetite and motivation, mood, energy expenditure and stress-related behaviors. In the study, published Dec. 22, 2022, in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, the drug strongly reduced voluntary alcohol intake in alcohol-dependent rats, and blocked stress-induced relapse.”
Excerpted from Scripps Research Press Room.
51st Annual Society for Neuroscience Meeting
November 12-16, 2022; San Diego, CA
Dr. Jessica Illenberger and Dr. Francisco Flores-Ramirez presented posters of their latest findings:
Flores-Ramirez FJ, Illenberger JM, Di Ottavio F, Martin-Fardon R. Blockade of orexin receptors in the infralimbic cortex prevents stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior in rats with a history of alcohol dependence. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, California (2022) Program no. 230.14.
Illenberger JM, Flores-Ramirez FJ, Matzeu A, Lutjens R, Martin-Fardon R. ADX106772, an mGlu2 receptor positive allosteric modulator, selectively attenuates oxycodone- but not sweetened condensed milk-seeking behavior. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, California (2022) Program no. 653.01.
Illenberger JM, Flores-Ramirez FJ, Pascasio G, Martin-Fardon R. Blockade of orexin receptors in the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus with the dual orexin receptor antagonist, Suvorexant, selectively prevents stress-induced reinstatement of oxycodone-seeking behavior in male rats. Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, California (2022) Program no. 653.02.
45th Annual RSA Scientific Meeting
June 25-29, 2022; Orlando, FL
Dr. Francisco Flores-Ramirez presented posters of his latest findings:
Di Ottavio F, Sánchez Marín L, Flores-Ramirez FJ, Serrano A, Martin-Fardon R. Evaluation of endocannabinoid plasmatic concentrations in alcohol-dependent rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (2022) vol 46 Suppl 1: p. 188A-189A, Abstracts-Posters.
Flores-Ramirez FJ, Sánchez Marín L, Martin-Fardon R. Blockade of CRF1 receptors in the infralimbic cortex prevents stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking in male Wistar rats: evidence of CRF/orexin interaction. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (2022) vol 46 Suppl 1: p. 137A, Abstracts-Posters.
Dr. Francisco Flores-Ramirez was also awarded the 2022 Larry Parsons Travel Award to attend the conference. Congratulations!
CPDD 84th Annual Scientific Meeting
June 11-15, 2022; Minneapolis, MN
Dr. Jessica Illenberger was selected to give an oral communication on her latest findings:
Illenberger JM, Pascasio G, Matzeu A, Martin-Fardon R. The dual orexin receptor antagonist, suvorexant, selectively reduces stress-induced reinstatement of oxycodone-seeking behavior but not sweetened condensed milk-seeking behavior in male rats. College on Problems of Drug Dependence, 84th Annual Scientific Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota (2022).
New publication from Dr. Francisco Flores-Ramirez.
June 2022
Check out Dr. Francisco Flores-Ramirez’s new publication:
Flores-Ramirez et al. Blockade of the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 (CRF1) in the infralimbic cortex prevents stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking in male Wistar rats: Evidence of an interaction between CRF1 and orexin receptor signaling. Neuropharmacology (2022) 210:109046. PMID: 35341789.