Advanced brain scans to understand thinking problems in people with HIV and cannabis use
Official title: Next-Generation MEG Imaging for Quantifying Cortical-Subcortical Dynamics in the Context of HIV and Cannabis Use
Funded at Father Flanagan's Boys' Home · NIH-11321265 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses a new kind of brain scan (MEG) to look at how HIV and cannabis use affect brain circuits in adults living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Father Flanagan's Boys' Home NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boys Town, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $645,710 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA059542-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11321265 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 or older who are living with HIV (with or without cannabis use) and are willing to have MEG scans, cognitive testing, and provide substance-use information.
✕Less likely to help
People under 21, those without HIV, or individuals who cannot undergo MEG scanning (for example because of incompatible metal implants or inability to travel to the site) may not benefit or be eligible.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will use a next-generation magnetoencephalography (MEG) scanner to record fast brain activity in adults with HIV, some who use cannabis and some who do not. They will compare brain circuit activity in cortical and subcortical regions while you perform thinking and memory tasks and during rest. The team will link those brain signals to cognitive test results and substance-use histories to search for measurable markers of HIV-related cognitive problems. Participation typically involves in-person visits for scans, cognitive testing, and questionnaires about health and substance use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could produce clearer brain-based tests to help diagnose and track cognitive problems in people living with HIV, including effects related to cannabis use.
How similar studies have gone: MEG has been useful in other neurological conditions, but using next-generation MEG specifically to study HIV-related cognitive changes and cannabis comorbidity is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
Boys Town, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilson, Tony W. — Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
- Study coordinator: Wilson, Tony W.
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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.