| Publication Abstract Display |
| Type: Published Manuscript |
| Title: Methamphetamine and cannabis: A tale of two drugs and their effects on HIV, brain, and behavior. |
| Authors: Saloner R, Fields JA, Marcondes MCG, Iudicello JE, von Kanel S, Cherner M, Letendre SL, Kaul M, Grant I, and the TMARC Group |
| Year: 2020 |
| Publication: Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology |
| Volume: 15 Issue: 4 Pages: 743-764 |
| Abstract:HIV infection and drug use intersect epidemiologically, and their combination can result in complex effects on brain and behavior. The extent to which drugs affect the health of persons with HIV (PWH) depends on many factors including drug characteristics, use patterns, stage of HIV disease and its treatment, comorbid factors, and age. To consider the range of drug effects, we have selected two that are in common use by PWH: methamphetamine and cannabis. We compare the effects of methamphetamine with those of cannabis, to illustrate how substances may potentiate, worsen, or even buffer the effects of HIV on the CNS. Data from human, animal, and ex vivo studies provide insights into how these drugs have differing effects on the persistent inflammatory state that characterizes HIV infection, including effects on viral replication, immune activation, mito-chondrial function, gut permeability, blood brain barrier integrity, glia and neuronal signaling. Moving forward, we consider how these mechanistic insights may inform interventions to improve brain outcomes in PWH. |