Brain immune links between HIV, depression, and opioid use
Neuroimmune mechanisms involved in the complex co-morbidity Involving OUD, MDD, and HIV
This project looks at how immune-related changes in the brain connect HIV, major depression, and opioid use disorder using donated human brain tissue.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11194515 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or a loved one with HIV also had depression or problems with opioids and later choose to donate brain tissue, researchers will analyze that tissue to look for immune-related changes in a specific brain area called the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC). They will use single-cell gene tests, ATAC-seq to study chromatin accessibility, and tissue staining to identify which cell types (especially microglia) are changed. By comparing people with different combinations of HIV, MDD, and OUD, the team aims to find shared cellular and molecular pathways that may explain overlapping symptoms like low mood and reduced motivation. Those findings could point toward new targets for treatments to help mood, motivation, and addiction in people living with HIV.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV who have a history of major depressive disorder and/or opioid use disorder, and who (or whose families) are willing to provide donated brain tissue and related clinical information, are ideal candidates for contributing to this work.
Not a fit: Because this work uses donated postmortem brain tissue to study mechanisms, people who do not have HIV, MDD, or OUD or who cannot participate in tissue donation are unlikely to receive direct personal benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal immune-related brain targets that guide development of better treatments for depression and opioid problems in people living with HIV.
How similar studies have performed: Prior single-cell and postmortem brain studies have found disease-linked cell and molecular changes for HIV, depression, or opioid use separately, but analyzing all three conditions together in the same human brain region is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Worcester, United States
- Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester — Worcester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Logan, Ryan W — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Logan, Ryan W
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 below.