Tracking HIV, alcohol use, and brain aging with MRI
Official title: Tracking HIV Infection & Alcohol Abuse CNS Comorbidity with Neuroimaging
Funded at Sri International · NIH-11395398 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aging people living with HIV who also have alcohol use disorder are being studied to understand how brain changes relate to balance, movement, and thinking over time using MRI.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sri International NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Menlo Park, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2007 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $893,438 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA017347-19 |
| Project ID | NIH-11395398 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults living with HIV, with or without alcohol use disorder, who are able to undergo MRI and participate in long-term follow-up.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals or HIV patients who cannot complete MRI studies or follow-up will have no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows people living with HIV, especially those with alcohol use disorder, to see how their brains change as they age. It uses longitudinal MRI and other brain imaging to examine white matter changes and iron deposition, and how these relate to motor and cognitive function. The goal is to identify which brain changes predict faster decline in balance, gait, and thinking so future interventions can help preserve function.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could help tailor therapies to slow cognitive and motor decline in HIV patients who drink alcohol.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown imaging markers relate to aging and HIV; this study extends these findings longitudinally.
Where this research is happening
-
Sri International
Menlo Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pfefferbaum, Adolf — Sri International
- Study coordinator: Pfefferbaum, Adolf
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How HIV and heavy drinking change the aging brain
Researchers will use repeated brain scans and movement and thinking tests to find why people living with HIV—especially those with alcohol use disorder—may have faster declines in balance, walking, and cognition.
-
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-
Myocardial fibrosis and fat in ART-treated women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
This project studies heart tissue changes in women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa who are on antiretroviral therapy, to understand why they’re at higher risk for heart problems as they age.
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.