BACKGROUND: Aging and HIV have adverse effects on the central nervous system, including increased inflammation and neural injury and confer risk of neurocognitive impairment (NCI). Previous research suggests the nonacute neurocognitive effects of cannabis in the general population are adverse or null. However, in the context of aging and HIV, cannabis use may exert beneficial effects due to its anti-inflammatory properties. In the current study, we examined the independent and interactive effects of HIV and cannabis on NCI and the potential moderation of these effects by age. METHODS: Participants included 679 people living with HIV (PLHIV) and 273 people living without HIV (HIV-) (18-79 years old) who completed neurocognitive, neuromedical, and substance use assessments. NCI was defined as a demographically corrected global deficit score ≥ 0.5. Logistic regression models examined the effects of age, HIV, cannabis (history of cannabis substance use disorder and cannabis use in past year), and their 2-way and 3-way interactions on NCI. RESULTS: In logistic regression models, only a significant interaction of HIV X cannabis was detected (P = 0.02). Among PLHIV, cannabis was associated with a lower proportion of NCI (odds ratio = 0.53, 95% confidence interval = 0.33-0.85) but not among HIV- individuals (P = 0.40). These effects did not vary by age. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest cannabis exposure is linked to a lower odds of NCI in the context of HIV. A possible mechanism of this result is the anti-inflammatory effect of cannabis, which may be particularly important for PLHIV. Further investigations are needed to refine the effects of dose, timing, and cannabis compound on this relationship, which could inform guidelines for cannabis use among populations vulnerable to cognitive decline.
BACKGROUND: Aging and HIV have adverse effects on the central nervous system, including increased inflammation and neural injury and confer risk of neurocognitive impairment (NCI). Previous research suggests the nonacute neurocognitive effects of cannabis in the general population are adverse or null. However, in the context of aging and HIV, cannabis use may exert beneficial effects due to its anti-inflammatory properties. In the current study, we examined the independent and interactive effects of HIV and cannabis on NCI and the potential moderation of these effects by age. METHODS: Participants included 679 people living with HIV (PLHIV) and 273 people living without HIV (HIV-) (18-79 years old) who completed neurocognitive, neuromedical, and substance use assessments. NCI was defined as a demographically corrected global deficit score ≥ 0.5. Logistic regression models examined the effects of age, HIV, cannabis (history of cannabis substance use disorder and cannabis use in past year), and their 2-way and 3-way interactions on NCI. RESULTS: In logistic regression models, only a significant interaction of HIV X cannabis was detected (P = 0.02). Among PLHIV, cannabis was associated with a lower proportion of NCI (odds ratio = 0.53, 95% confidence interval = 0.33-0.85) but not among HIV- individuals (P = 0.40). These effects did not vary by age. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest cannabis exposure is linked to a lower odds of NCI in the context of HIV. A possible mechanism of this result is the anti-inflammatory effect of cannabis, which may be particularly important for PLHIV. Further investigations are needed to refine the effects of dose, timing, and cannabis compound on this relationship, which could inform guidelines for cannabis use among populations vulnerable to cognitive decline.
Authors: Marc A Norman; David J Moore; Michael Taylor; Donald Franklin; Lucette Cysique; Chris Ake; Deborah Lazarretto; Florin Vaida; Robert K Heaton Journal: J Clin Exp Neuropsychol Date: 2011-06-24 Impact factor: 2.475
Authors: Robert K Heaton; Thomas D Marcotte; Monica Rivera Mindt; Joseph Sadek; David J Moore; Heather Bentley; J Allen McCutchan; Carla Reicks; Igor Grant Journal: J Int Neuropsychol Soc Date: 2004-05 Impact factor: 2.892
Authors: Mariana Cherner; Paola Suarez; Corinna Casey; Robert Deiss; Scott Letendre; Thomas Marcotte; Florin Vaida; J Hampton Atkinson; Igor Grant; Robert K Heaton Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2009-10-07 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: K Blackstone; D J Moore; D R Franklin; D B Clifford; A C Collier; C M Marra; B B Gelman; J C McArthur; S Morgello; D M Simpson; R J Ellis; J H Atkinson; I Grant; R K Heaton Journal: Clin Neuropsychol Date: 2012-06-18 Impact factor: 3.535
Authors: Aljoharah Alakkas; Ronald J Ellis; Caitlin Wei-Ming Watson; Anya Umlauf; Robert K Heaton; Scott Letendre; Ann Collier; Christina Marra; David B Clifford; Benjamin Gelman; Ned Sacktor; Susan Morgello; David Simpson; J Allen McCutchan; Asha Kallianpur; Sara Gianella; Thomas Marcotte; Igor Grant; Christine Fennema-Notestine Journal: J Neurovirol Date: 2018-10-05 Impact factor: 2.643
Authors: Stephanie Shiau; Alexis A Bender; Jane A O'Halloran; Erin Sundermann; Juhi Aggarwal; Keri N Althoff; Jason V Baker; Steven Deeks; Linda P Fried; Stephen Karpiak; Maile Y Karris; Thomas D Marcotte; Jean B Nachega; Joseph B Margolick; Kristine M Erlandson; David J Moore Journal: AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses Date: 2020-09-23 Impact factor: 2.205
Authors: Rowan Saloner; Jerel Adam Fields; Maria Cecilia Garibaldi Marcondes; Jennifer E Iudicello; Sofie von Känel; Mariana Cherner; Scott L Letendre; Marcus Kaul; Igor Grant Journal: J Neuroimmune Pharmacol Date: 2020-09-15 Impact factor: 4.147
Authors: Jerel Adam Fields; Mary K Swinton; Patricia Montilla-Perez; Eugenia Ricciardelli; Francesca Telese Journal: Cannabis Cannabinoid Res Date: 2020-12-31
Authors: Shana A Hall; Zahra Lalee; Ryan P Bell; Sheri L Towe; Christina S Meade Journal: Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry Date: 2020-07-18 Impact factor: 5.067
Authors: Jordan N Kohn; Matthew Shane Loop; Julie J Kim-Chang; Patricia A Garvie; John W Sleasman; Bernard Fischer; H Jonathon Rendina; Steven Paul Woods; Sharon L Nichols; Suzi Hong Journal: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Date: 2021-06-01 Impact factor: 3.771
Authors: C Wei-Ming Watson; Laura M Campbell; Ni Sun-Suslow; Suzi Hong; Anya Umlauf; Ronald J Ellis; Jennifer E Iudicello; Scott Letendre; Thomas D Marcotte; Robert K Heaton; Erin E Morgan; Igor Grant Journal: J Int Neuropsychol Soc Date: 2021-07 Impact factor: 3.114