# Brain Morphology, Inflammation and Episodic Memory Profiles Among Persons Aging with HIV

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $38,401

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Aging persons living with HIV (PLHIV) are now at risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and its precursor amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Due to the potential for
compounding effects of HIV and aging on the brain, as well as high rates of medical conditions (e.g., chronic
inflammation) that are risk factors for AD, PLHIV are likely at higher risk for neurodegenerative diseases such
as AD. Identifying PLHIV with aMCI is complicated because the defining characteristic of aMCI, memory
dysfunction, is also common in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), which are still prevalent in the
cART era (30-50%), particularly among older PLHIV. In order to provide early, targeted interventions and predict
cognitive impairment progression, it is imperative that clinicians are able to accurately differentiate HAND and
aMCI. However, because this aging trend is relatively recent, there is a paucity of research aimed at
disentangling HAND and aMCI. Due to differences in underlying brain changes, memory dysfunction presents
differently on neurocognitive testing in HAND versus aMCI. Specifically, HAND (more prefrontally- and
subcortically-based) is characterized by impairment in recall but relatively preserved recognition performance on
neurocognitive tests, whereas aMCI (associated with medial temporal lobe atrophy) is characterized by
impairment in both recall and recognition. Therefore, recognition may be a clinically-useful neurocognitive marker
to differentiate HAND and aMCI. To-date, the majority of HIV neurocognitive studies have preferentially focused
on recall deficits and have not examined recognition. Research is needed to assess the clinical utility of
recognition in disentangling aMCI and HAND by examining if recognition correlates with neuroanatomical
structures associated with aMCI. This F31 research project therefore aims to 1) examine neuroanatomical
correlates of recall and recognition, and 2) examine if structural integrity of the medial temporal lobe is associated
with future amnestic decline (i.e., decline in recall and recognition performance) among older PLHIV. Additionally,
exploratory analyses will probe biological mechanisms that put PLHIV at greater risk of aMCI by examining the
role of peripheral inflammation in memory impairment and brain integrity. This project will utilize longitudinal,
archival neuroimaging and neuropsychological data collected from the CNS HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Effects
Research (CHARTER) program. Finally, the training opportunities afforded by the F31 funding mechanism will
facilitate the applicant’s long-term goal of becoming an independent academic neuropsychologist dedicated to
improving detection of age-related neurocognitive decline in clinically-diverse, at-risk populations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10012876
- **Project number:** 1F31AG067869-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Laura Michelle Campbell
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $38,401
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10012876

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10012876, Brain Morphology, Inflammation and Episodic Memory Profiles Among Persons Aging with HIV (1F31AG067869-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10012876. Licensed CC0.

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