Publication Abstract Display
Type: Poster
Title: Cannabis exposure is associated with less neurocognitive impairment in older HIV+ and HIV- adults.
Authors: Watson W, Sundermann EE, Morgan EE, Ellis RJ, Letendre S, Heaton R, Grant I
Date: 02-20-2019
Abstract:Objective: Aging and HIV have adverse effects on the CNS, including increased inflammation and neural injury, and confer risk for neurocognitive impairment (NCI). Research suggests the non-acute neurocognitive effects of cannabis use in the general population are null or adverse. In the context of aging and HIV, cannabis use may exert beneficial effects due to its anti-inflammatory properties. We examined the separate and combined effects of HIV and cannabis use on NCI, also examining the potential modulation of these effects by age.Participants and Methods: Participants (n=802; 18-71 years old) completed neurocognitive, neuromedical, psychiatric, and substance use assessments. Participants were excluded if they met criteria for any non-cannabis substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year. Step-wise linear regression models examined the effects of HIV and cannabis exposure (lifetime cannabis SUD and cannabis use in past year) on NCI and whether age interacted with either predictor. Post-hoc analyses investigated whether findings differed when the cannabis group was split by DSM-IV criteria for the milder abuse vs. more severe dependence category.Results: Main effects of HIV, cannabis, and a significant interaction of age*cannabis were detected (all ps<.05). Across age and cannabis use groups, HIV was associated with greater NCI (ps<.05). Cannabis use related to less NCI among older (≥50) adults (p=.009) but not among younger adults (<50). In post-hoc analyses, only the milder abuse category was associated with less NCI among older adults.Conclusions: Findings suggest moderate cannabis exposure may be protective against NCI in the context of aging. A possible mechanism of this result is the anti-inflammatory effect of cannabis, which may be particularly important for HIV+ individuals as they age. Further investigations are needed to refine the effects of dose, timing, and type of cannabis exposure on this relationship, which could inform guidelines for cannabis use among populations vulnerable to cognitive decline.

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