Dr. Boissoneault was interviewed by Richard Chin for an article in the Star Tribune on the 2024 State Fair study and his work using the virtual reality bar.

Read the article here: https://www.startribune.com/does-booze-relieve-pain-u-researchers-test-inebriated-minnesota-state-fair-patrons-to-find-out/601158376 

Lab Manager, Dr. Adriana Cushnie, presented her poster, "Effects of Acute Alcohol on Insular Cortex During Pain Processing", at the SfN poster session on October 7th, 2024.

Research Professional, Madison Sinclair, presented her poster, "Predictors of Pain Self-Management with Alcohol and Cannabis Among Co-Users", at the SfN poster session on October 7th, 2024.

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Sage Hebert, presented her poster, "Sip by Sip:  Sex Differences and Behavioral Effects on Alcohol Pharmacokinetics", at the SfN poster session on October 7th, 2024.

The MAPL Team is pleased to announce the approval of our new and upcoming Pain Under Pressure study! This study will be conducted at the 2024 Minnesota State Fair in the Driven to Discover Research Building. The goal of this study is to better understand the real-life impact of alcohol use and other psychological and behavioral factors on pain.  We hope to see you there!

Doctoral candidate, Nick Bush, Ph.D., successfully defended his thesis titled "Innovative Approaches to Substance Use Assessment: Questionnaires, Screening Tools, and Smartwatch Algorithms". This marks the completion of the Ph.D. Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota. Congratulations Dr. Nicholas Bush! 

Lab Manager, Dr. Adriana Cushnie, presented her poster titled "Insula Under the Influence: Acute Alcohol-Induced Changes in Resting-State Functional Connectivity" at the RSA poster session on June 23, 2024.

Research Professional, Madison Sinclair, presented her poster titled "Associations of Modifiable and Non-Modifiable Risk Factors for Pain Self-Medication Using Alcohol with Expectancy of Alcohol Analgesia Within the CANUE Model" both at the Minnesota Inclusive Neuroscience Development Scholars (MINDS) poster symposium on June 11, 2024 and the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA) poster symposium on June 26, 2024.

Research Professional, Huda Ahmed, presented her poster titled "Expectancy of Alcohol Analgesia Moderates the Association Between Psychosocial Risk Factors and Frequency of Pain Self-Medication Using Alcohol" at the Minnesota Inclusive Neuroscience Development Scholars (MINDS) poster symposium on June 11, 2024 and the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA) poster symposium on June 26, 2024.

Lab director, Dr. Jeff Boissoneault, will be speaking at the final Pain Interest Group (PIG) monthly meeting for the 2023-2024 academic year. If you are interested in attending the session virtually, email umnpig@gmail.com for the Zoom link!

The Pain Interest Group is an extension of the UMN Pain Consortium, whose goal is to bring together researchers, clinicians, students and the broader community towards the shared goal of reducing the burden of pain through increased communication and collaboration in research and education.

The director of MAPL, Dr. Jeff Boissoneault, is featured as a guest on The Addiction Psychologist Podcast on Spotify, providing an overview of the intersection between pain and substance use. He makes a case for why scientists and clinicians should prioritize measuring and treating chronic pain.  The Addiction Psychologist, an official podcast of the Society for Addiction Psychology, is run by Dr. Samuel Acuff and Dr. Noah Emery. They use their platform to interview researchers, clinicians, and policymakers in the field of addiction psychology with the hopes of enhancing recovery. You can find Dr. Boissoneault's podcast episode here. 

We are pleased to announce the approval of our new and upcoming Automatic Alcohol Use Detection study! The goal of this study is to validate an automatic alcohol topography algorithm based on changes in drink weight collected using a virtual reality bar platform. Through the development of automatic alcohol drink detection using smartwatches, we hope to facilitate an accessible means by which research studies that can incorporate larger samples and help to develop new interventions to reduce the risk of alcohol-related consequences. This technology may also help to improve triggers for ecological-momentary assessment studies and help to develop just-in-time interventions to moderate alcohol consumption. This project will also assess whether the automatic drinking detection can be used to improve the accuracy and utility of transdermal alcohol sensors, especially in the early stages of alcohol consumption. If you are interested in participating in this study, please fill out the survey found in the flyer to the left. 

The director of MAPL, Dr. Jeff Boissoneault, spoke on the effects of pain on alcohol use during the University of Minnesota Medical Discovery Team on Addiction's annual Fall Symposium. He discussed the relationship between pain and the motivation to use alcohol, as well as the subsequent effect of that relationship on the drinking topography of individuals. It was highlighted that these effects are especially strong among men and individuals with higher negative urgency. The CANUE model was also outlined, which provides framework for identifying individuals at risk for pain self-management with alcohol. Finally, he called for more systematic inclusion of individuals at a higher risk for alcohol-related consequences, particularly older adults, marginalized identities, individuals with chronic pain and people in recover from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). 

Graduate Research Assistant, Nick Bush, M.S., presented a poster titled Task-dependent functional connectivity in placebo responder at the University of Minnesota's Fall Pain Day. The poster detailed research conducted by both Nick and Dr. Boissoneault at the University of Florida. We are excited to see Nick's research grow here in Minnesota!

In fall of 2023, the Minnesota Alcohol and Pain Lab (MAPL) conducted a study at the Minnesota State Fair with a goal of developing a more precise way of analyzing drinking topography via a smart watch. By developing tools that allow researchers to have clearer insight surrounding the mechanics of alcohol use, we hope to increase the amount of interventions available to those wanting to better manage their alcohol consumption.