Role of Basic Research 



Basic research, as defined here, is not goal-ori- 

 ented. Its focus is the understanding of the prob- 

 lems or processes being investigated. This defini- 

 tion is to be contrasted with that of applied re- 

 search, where the investigator has the specified 

 goal of using, in a pragmatic manner, knowledge 

 and understanding for the purposes of meeting a 

 recognized need. However, it is important to note 

 that the distinction is somewhat artificial in that 

 each class of research can and has stimulated fur- 

 ther research, understanding, and problem resolu- 

 tion in the other. It should be pointed out that a 

 separate basic research program is not main- 

 tained, but that both classes of research are sup- 

 ported by the research divisions within each In- 

 stitute. ADAMHA, through its Institutes, can best 

 meet its responsibilities by continuing to support 

 both types of research based on the criteria of 

 state of knowledge, reasonableness, scientific and 

 technical merit, and relevance to mission. This 

 policy recognizes that basic research can and has 

 contributed significantly to the fund of knowledge 

 necessary to address meaningfully our national 

 public health problems. Continued support of ba- 

 sic research is considered essential to the mission 

 of ADAMHA. 



Examples of Basic Research 



NIAAA 



Prior to the formation of NIAAA in 1972, alco- 

 hol-related research was supported through the 

 National Center for Prevention and Control of 

 Alcoholism, which was established within NIMH 

 in 1967. Despite its relatively short history, 

 NIAAA has supported scientists who have made 

 significant contributions to the understanding of 

 the metabolic pathways of alcohol and alcohol- 

 induced pathology. Among these are: 



• Lieber, Charles, "Pathogenesis and Treat- 

 ment of Alcohol-Induced Diseases." This 

 investigator has made two discoveries which 

 have had considerable impact on our under- 

 standing of alcohol-related medical problems. 

 In the first instance, it was discovered that 

 alcohol is specifically a hepatotoxin which 

 induces the entire range of alcohol-related 

 liver disease, including fatty liver, alcoholic 

 hepatitis, and cirrhosis. This occurred even 

 though test animals were maintained on an 

 otherwise well-balanced, nutritional diet. The 

 second major contribution by this investiga- 



tor was the discovery that the ratio of two 

 amino acids (alpha-amino-n-butyric acid and 

 leucine) may serve as a specific blood test to 

 detect chronic alcoholism. 



• Chance, Britton, "The Enzyme-Substrate 

 Component of Catalase in Alcoholism." This 

 investigator's research in alcohol metabolism 

 demonstrated that a significant amount of 

 alcohol is metabolized by catalase in addition 

 to alcohol dehydrogenase. The recognition of 

 this nonclassical pathway for alcohol meta- 

 bolism is important because metabolism by 

 pathways other than alcohol dehydrogenase 

 is found in heavy drinkers and alcoholics. 

 This finding may be basic to understanding 

 the etiology and development of liver pathol- 

 ogy. 



For FY 1976, 57 percent of NIAAA's extramur- 

 al grant funds were awarded for basic research in 

 the biomedical area. This included, for instance, 

 24 projects on studies of the central nervous sys- 

 tem for research on such topics as alcohol, sero- 

 tonin, and sodium fluxes; intracellular effects of 

 ethanol on in v/fro nerve tissue; ethanol effects on 

 aplysia CNS maintained in vitro: and alcohol ef- 

 fects on synaptic membrane receptors. 



The development of several animal models of 

 ethanol dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal 

 are considered by NIAAA to be significant basic 

 research contributions to the study of alcohol ad- 

 diction. Among these contributions are: 



• Gerhard Freund induced physical depend- 

 ence in the mouse using an all-liquid diet 

 containing ethanol. 



• Dora Goldstein perfected an inhalation tech- 

 nique for induction of dependence in mice. 



• John Falk obtained high blood alcohol levels 

 and dependence in rats by the use of a be- 

 havioral polydipsic technique. 



• David Lester selectively bred high and low 

 alcohol drinking strains of rats. 



• Richard Meish used operant conditioning 

 techniques to get rhesus monkeys to self- 

 administer alcohol. 



• Walter Pieper achieved physical dependence 

 in infant chimpanzees. 



• Edward Majchrowicz, in the NIAAA's intra- 

 mural research program, has developed an 

 intubation technique which rapidly induces 

 physical dependence on alcohol in the rat. 



NIDA 



More than 95 percent of NIDA's basic research 

 is extramural and is funded primarily by grants. 

 Since its inception in 1972, NIDA has supported 

 many scientists whose basic research efforts were 

 responsible for the discovery of "endorphins" 



HEALTH, EDUCATION AND WELFARE 89 



