Understanding brain changes from smoking in people with HIV
Official title: Neurometabolic profile of tobacco smoking in HIV-infected Individuals
Funded at Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11136986 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research aims to understand how smoking affects the brain chemistry of people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00DA051315-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11136986 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for future participation would likely be individuals living with HIV who also smoke tobacco.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have HIV or do not smoke tobacco would likely not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
We know that smoking is more common in people with HIV and can make their condition worse, especially impacting brain health. While previous work suggests that HIV and smoking together can harm the brain, leading to issues like impulsivity and thinking problems, we don't fully understand the specific brain chemical changes involved. This project uses a special MRI technique called HERCULES to measure important brain chemicals. By improving this technique to account for movement, we hope to get a clearer picture of these brain changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help us better understand how HIV and smoking affect the brain, potentially leading to new ways to support brain health for affected individuals.
How similar studies have gone: While other studies have shown that HIV and smoking can harm the brain, this project uses a novel MRI technique to specifically look at the neurochemical profile, which is less understood.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Saleh, Muhammad G — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Saleh, Muhammad G
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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.