Understanding long-term brain effects after cryptococcal meningitis in HIV patients
Official title: Late Neurological Sequelae after Cryptococcal Meningitis
Funded at Infectious Diseases Institute · NIH-10999483 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how cryptococcal meningitis affects the brain over time in people with HIV, to see if they have lasting memory or thinking problems and what might cause them, so we can find better ways to help improve their brain health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Infectious Diseases Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kampala, Uganda) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $174,687 |
| NIH project number | 1R21TW012988-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10999483 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults over 21 years old who have survived cryptococcal meningitis and are living with HIV.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not experienced cryptococcal meningitis or are under 21 years old may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the long-term neurological effects experienced by survivors of cryptococcal meningitis, particularly in individuals living with HIV. It aims to assess the prevalence of sustained neurocognitive impairments and identify risk factors associated with these deficits. By utilizing quantitative neurocognitive performance assessments, the study seeks to understand how persistent cryptococcal antigens may contribute to chronic inflammation in the central nervous system. The findings will help inform future clinical trials focused on improving patient outcomes and reducing cognitive impairments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies for managing and mitigating long-term neurological complications in HIV patients who have survived cryptococcal meningitis.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been research on cryptococcal meningitis, this specific focus on long-term neurological sequelae and persistent antigenemia is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Infectious Diseases Institute
Kampala, Uganda Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nsangi, Laura Joan — Infectious Diseases Institute
- Study coordinator: Nsangi, Laura Joan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Personalized Immunomodulatory Therapy for HIV-related Cryptococcal Meningitis
A patient-focused study investigates a personalized treatment approach to improve outcomes for people with HIV who develop cryptococcal meningitis.
-
Improving Diagnostics and Neurocognitive Outcomes in HIV/AIDS-related Meningitis
A study in Uganda aims to use faster, better tests and a new antifungal to help people with HIV who develop meningitis.
-
TB meningitis diagnostic test compare and cost study in sub-Saharan Africa
Researchers are testing a new CSF urine-based test (SILVAMP TB LAM) to improve diagnosis of TB meningitis in people with HIV, to help speed treatment and reduce death in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Minimally Invasive Sampling to Improve HIV-Associated M meningitis Diagnosis in Africa
A research study is testing easier, less invasive ways to diagnose meningitis in people living with HIV, with a focus on making diagnosis faster and more accurate in Africa and the US.
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Understanding brain injury in kids with tuberculous meningitis (iThemba)
A study in children with TB meningitis in South Africa will look at how inflammation and blood-clotting factors relate to brain injury and infarcts.
-
Serological clues to survival in HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis
This grant looks for antibody signals in the blood that could predict who survives cryptococcal meningitis in people with HIV.
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.