How HIV and long-term HIV medicines affect brain circuits
Official title: The effects of cART and HIV-1 infection on neural circuitry
Funded at State University New York Stony Brook · NIH-11263633 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is mapping how HIV infection and long-term antiretroviral medicines may change brain activity linked to thinking and memory in people with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $733,977 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH134776-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11263633 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living with HIV who are taking long-term antiretroviral therapy and who are experiencing memory or thinking difficulties are the most relevant group for this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without HIV who are not using antiretroviral drugs are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this mouse-based work.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers will use mouse models to mimic HIV infection, long-term antiretroviral (ARV) exposure, and the combination of both, then give the animals cognitive tasks to trigger brain activity. They will apply new 3D whole-brain mapping tools to identify which neural circuits light up or change after these exposures. The team will compare patterns across groups to find shared circuit changes and unique signatures tied to ARVs, HIV, or both. Findings aim to point to specific brain regions and pathways that could explain cognitive problems seen in people living with HIV.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify brain circuits harmed by HIV or long-term ARV use and suggest targets to prevent or treat thinking and memory problems.
How similar studies have gone: Related animal-mapping approaches have provided useful insights into brain circuits, but applying 3D whole-brain activation mapping to ARV and HIV effects is relatively new and not yet linked to clinical treatments.
Where this research is happening
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State University New York Stony Brook
Stony Brook, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Enikolopov, Grigori N — State University New York Stony Brook
- Study coordinator: Enikolopov, Grigori N
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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.