Therapeutic applications for alcohol use disorder. 

Matthew Potthoff, associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology in the Carver College of Medicine, will advance his research on the role of Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21). Misty Perez, graduate student in the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, will collaborate on the project.

FGF21 is a hormone produced in the liver that travels throughout the body and regulates energy metabolism. Potthoff’s lab is particularly interested in FGF21 for its role in alcohol intake, and potential therapeutic applications.  

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, which is characterized by heavy alcohol use and loss of control over alcohol intake. Nearly one-third of American adults have experienced the disorder at some point in their lives.

“Despite the high prevalence, there is not a great understanding of the mechanisms of this disease,” said Potthoff. “With a greater understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms of how FGF21 impacts brain regions that influence alcohol intake, we can work towards treatment of AUD.”