Understanding how depression and cannabis use affect brain circuits in young people with HIV
Official title: The Neural Underpinnings of Depression and Cannabis Use in Young PLWH
Funded at University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-10897053 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study with young adults living with HIV looks at how depression and cannabis use relate to brain reward and pain circuits and how these changes might affect treatment adherence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $696,015 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA054885-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10897053 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Young adults (18-34) living with HIV who use cannabis and have depressive symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals outside the 18-34 age range or without cannabis use or depressive symptoms may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project will examine brain networks involved in reward and pain in 18-34 year olds living with HIV who use cannabis and experience depression. Using advanced functional MRI, the team will explore how the habenula and other brain regions respond to pain and reward signals and how cannabis exposure might alter these responses. The goal is to identify neural mechanisms that link mood, substance use, and HIV treatment adherence, which could inform better interventions for this population.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to targeted therapies or behavioral strategies to improve mood, reduce cannabis-related harms, and support HIV treatment adherence.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research suggests brain reward systems are altered in mood and substance use disorders, but this study emphasizes HIV and young age with cannabis effects which is moderately novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Miami School of Medicine
Coral Gables, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gabbay, Vilma — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Gabbay, Vilma
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how cannabis use and genes change the brain to increase depression risk
A research project at Yale is exploring how cannabis use might change specific brain cells and genes, potentially making people more vulnerable to depression.
-
Advancing Pregnenolone as a Therapy for Cannabis Use Disorder with Depression
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-
How gene changes tied to cannabis use and depression affect the brain
This project looks for molecular changes in brain tissue from people with cannabis use disorder or major depression to link cannabis exposure with biological changes that may raise depression risk.
-
Understanding how cannabis use affects depression in young people living with HIV.
This study is looking at how using cannabis might affect feelings of depression in young adults aged 18-34 who are living with HIV, and it aims to understand how this relates to the way the brain processes rewards and pain, which could help find better ways to treat depression.
-
How cannabis use affects brain changes linked to depression
This study is looking at how using cannabis might affect the brain and contribute to major depression, by comparing brain samples from people who use cannabis, those with depression, and those without any issues, to better understand the changes that happen in the brain.
-
Understanding how cannabis use affects reward processing in depressed adolescents
This study is looking at how using cannabis might affect the way teenagers with depression experience rewards in their brains, and it's for young people who want to understand more about how these two issues are connected.
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.