Massachusetts General Hospital | Psychiatry

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National Institutes of Health

National Institute on Drug Abuse

University of Pittsburgh Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University

Mass General Hospital Translational Center Investigating Prescription Drug Abuse (MIDA) is sponsored by an NIDA/NIH center award.  The Center is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School.  The overall goal of the Center is to conduct basic science and clinical research on the clinical neurobiology and molecular mechanisms of prescription drug abuse.

Although addiction to prescription drugs and illicit drugs has many similar features, prescription drug abuse in the setting of legitimate medical use is a unique form of drug addiction that remains to be investigated.  Indeed, concerns over prescription drug abuse have grown over recent years.  Establishing a translational research center entirely dedicated to this line of research is novel, timely and clinically relevant.

The current projects will 1) examine behavioral and neuroimaging changes in relation to the interaction between pain and opioid addicttion in human subjects and rodents, 2) explore the role of the brain dopamineric system in such interactions, and 3) investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the functional role of brain dopamine receptors in the interaction between pain and opioid addiction.  The data generated from this research plan will provide novel information on the neural and molecular mechanisms op opioid addiction and its interaction with clinical pain.

The operational plan of theis Center is to 1) develop and consolidate infrastructures, 2) foster interdisciplinary, collaborative basic science and clinical research, 3) generate scientific data according to proposed specific aims, and 4) prepare logistic and administrative needs for the research Center.  The Center is directed by Jianren Mao, M.D., Ph.D. (Anesthesia; Pain Medicine) along with Hans Breiter, M.D. (Psychiatry; Addiction Medicine) and John Marota, M.D. (Anesthesia)

Group Members Research Labs

Center for Translational Pain Research

Phenotype Genotype Project

John Marota, M.D. Research Lab

Jianren Mao, M.D., Ph.D

Hans Breiter, M.D.

John Marota, M.D.

The Center's current projects will :

1) examine behavioral and neuroimaging changes in relation to the interaction between pain and opioid addicttion in human subjects and rodents,

2) explore the role of the brain dopamineric system in such interactions, and

3) investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the functional role of brain dopamine receptors in the interaction between pain and opioid addiction.  The data generated from this research plan will provide novel information on the neural and molecular mechanisms op opioid addiction and its interaction with clinical pain.

Publications of Jianren Mao, M.D., Ph.D.

Publications of John Marota, M.D., Ph.D.

Publications of Hans Breiter, M.D.

MGH Translational Center Investigating Prescription Drug Abuse (MIDA)

Phone: 617-726-3744
Fax: 617-724-4488
Email: MIDA@partners.org

Public Transportation Access: yes
Disabled Access: yes

MIDA Related Research and Resources

MGH Center for Translational Pain Research

MGH Center for Pain Medicine

Phenotype Genotype Project

For research inquiries:
Dr. Jianren Mao jmao@partners.org

Dr. John Marota jmarota@partners.org

Dr. Hans Breiter hbreiter@partners.org

For administrative inquiries:
Mary Houghton mhoughton1@partners.org