The Louisiana Addiction Research Center (LARC) at LSU Health Shreveport is a leader in addiction research. LARC is committed to increasing knowledge and advancing research related to Substance Use Disorders to create a better quality of life for the citizens of our area.

LARC synchronizes multiple areas of basic and clinical research, academia and Centers of Excellence within LSU Health Shreveport to foster collaborative, multidisciplinary research throughout Louisiana. LARC is dedicated to developing a continuum of care in Louisiana that will leverage potential therapeutic models through these collaborations, ultimately resulting in advancing our care delivery abilities to improve outcomes in those who suffer from Substance Use Disorders.

Our Mission

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The mission of LARC is to provide addiction research and education in an integrated environment, pursuing the latest in innovative approaches and learning. LARC’s goal is to radically improve models of care and intervention for those with Substance Use Disorders.

► Learn more about LARC Research

There are three pillars of the Louisiana Addiction Research Center and each contains a series of projects designed to address the overall objectives of the center:


 

UNODC World Drug Report 2022

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2022 provides a global overview of the latest statistics, trends and developments with respect to cannabis, cocaine  methamphetamine, and other illicit drugs, as well as the health and social consequences of drug use.  

  • The report details cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine trends and states that numbers for manufacturing and seizures of many illicit drugs are hitting record highs. The report outlined that drug use among 15 to 64-year-olds in 2020 is a 26% increase during the course of a decade. Click here to read more.
  • Repercussions of cannabis legalization on a state level appears to have increased daily usage, particularly among young adults. In states with legalization of cannabis, there is a reported surge among people with psychiatric disorders, increased suicides and hospitalizations while generally reducing possession arrests. Click here to read more
  • Methamphetamine trafficking continues to rise with the quantities of methamphetamine seized grew fivefold over a 10-year period. Additionally, the quantities of amphetamine seized almost quadrupled and the quantities of “ecstasy” seized more than tripled. Click here to read more
  • The World Drug Report highlights that important differences exist between men and women in drug use patterns and there is a concerning treatment gap between genders. Although women remain in the minority of drug users, their consumption rate increases more rapidly than men on average. They use an estimated 45-49% of amphetamine and non-medical pharmaceutical drugs, but women are underrepresented in drug treatment constituting only 1 in 5 people treated for amphetamine use. Click here to read more.
Isolation and economic upheaval caused by COVID-19 are resulting in a sharp spike in mental health and addiction related crises. LARC is here to help.
 

Resources for dealing with addiction and stress of COVID-19

Contact Us

LSU Health Shreveport
1501 Kings Highway
Shreveport, LA 71103
(318) 813-LARC (5272)

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LARC Leadership

Executive Director

Nicholas E. Goeders, PhD

Nicholas E. Goeders, PhD

Professor and Chairman of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience; Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine; Executive Director of Louisiana Addiction Research Center

Clinical Research Director

James C. Patterson II, MD, PhD

James C. Patterson II, MD, PhD

Professor and Chairman of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Christus Schumpert Chair of Neurobiology, Clinical Research Director of Louisiana Addiction Research Center

Basic Science Research Director

Kevin Murnane, PhD

Kevin Murnane, PhD

Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Director of Basic Science Research for Louisiana Addiction Research Center

 

Stress and Drug Addiction Research

This video follows the research of Dr. Nicholas (Nick) Goeders as his lab unravels some of the neurobiological mysteries involved in the effects of stress on drug addiction.  This work evolved over three decades and led to several patents and the founding of Embera NeuroTherapeutics, Inc.  Embera is currently investigating the effects of a drug developed in Dr. Goeders’ lab and initiated Phase 2 clinical studies for cocaine use disorder in the summer of 2020.  The video traces the translation of a drug from the research laboratory into the clinic.

Featured News Story

Methamphetamine-involved overdose deaths nearly tripled between 2015 to 2019, NIH study finds

National Institute on Drug Abuse - Overdose deaths involving methamphetamine nearly tripled from 2015 to 2019 among people ages 18-64 in the United States, according to a study by NIDA. In 2020, more than 93,000 Americans died from drug overdoses, marking the largest one-year increase in overdose deaths ever recorded.

Read More about Methamphetamine-involved overdose deaths nearly tripled between 2015 to 2019, NIH study finds (opens in new window/tab)

   

Student working in the lab.

Louisiana Addiction Research Center (LARC)

Leading the Way in Addiction Research and Education

Group photo of LARC Board Members

Louisiana Addiction Research Center (LARC)