Advanced brain imaging to understand HIV-related cognitive problems
Official title: An advanced functional MRI study of frontostriatal injury in adults with HIV
Funded at Georgetown University · NIH-11401357 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant uses MRI to study how HIV affects brain regions related to thinking and behavior in adults with HIV, aiming to find better ways to identify and track HAND.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgetown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $427,840 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS124422-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401357 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with HIV who are being treated with cART and are at risk for or have HAND.
✕Less likely to help
People without HIV or those who do not have or are not at risk for HAND are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
If you have HIV, this research uses advanced brain scans and careful behavioral tests to map how frontostriatal and related brain areas may be disrupted and how that relates to cognitive symptoms. The study follows people over several years to see how brain changes correspond to HAND status and treatment responses. It’s designed to develop quick, sensitive tests and biomarkers that could help doctors diagnose HAND earlier and measure the effects of therapies. Participants would undergo MRI scans, cognitive assessments, and surveys as part of a prospective, longitudinal study conducted at Georgetown University. Results could inform personalized approaches to monitoring and treating HAND in the HIV population.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to better screening tools and biomarkers to detect HAND early and tailor treatments for people living with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked frontostriatal injury to HAND, but this study aims to refine brain-region-specific biomarkers and improve screening tools.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgetown University
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jiang, Xiong — Georgetown University
- Study coordinator: Jiang, Xiong
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.