# The Neural Underpinnings of Depression and Cannabis Use in Young PLWH

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $709,068

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
In response to RFA-DA-21-012, “Elucidation of mechanisms underlying complex morbidities of SUD and other
mental Illnesses in people living with HIV/AIDS” (PLWH), we propose to investigate reward and pain circuitry in
cannabis use and depression comorbidity, two highly prevalent conditions in PLWH. We will focus on young
adults (ages 18-34) to minimize HIV neuronal chronicity effects and in light of the high rates of substance use
and reduced adherence to HIV treatment in this age group. Our proposed model is: 1) Both reward dysfunction
(deficits in reward learning, expectancy, attainment, positive prediction errors) and pain hypersensitivity (pain
sensitivity, aversion, negative prediction errors) contribute to cannabis use and depression comorbidity in young
PLWH. 2) The habenula (Hb), a small limbic hub, plays a pivotal regulatory role in these processes by inhibiting
ventral tegmental area (VTA) reward signals to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) following pain and loss. 3) THC,
a major component of cannabis, exerts its psychoactive analgesic effects by binding to cannabinoid 1 receptors
in the reward and pain systems, including the anterior cingulate (ACC), periaqueductal gray (PAG), thalamus,
amygdala, VTA, NAc, and Hb, creating temporary relief of mood and pain symptoms but resulting in long-term
alterations in reward circuitry that exacerbate depression and substance use. 4) Capitalizing on improvements
in fMRI resolution, our novel imaging methods overcome prior technical constraints to study the Hb and other
small structures critical to reward and pain processing. Supporting data from PLWH ages 18-34 in our health
system show that 43% have depression, 21% have cannabis use disorders, and only 68% had undetectable HIV
viral load (VL). Using the reward flanker (RFT) and reward prediction error (RPET) fMRI tasks, we documented
distinct brain activity during reward anticipation, attainment and prediction error, which predicted future
depression severity. Further, we detected Hb activation during RPET and a pain task, and mapped Hb intrinsic
functional connectivity (iFC) with regions critical to reward (VTA), pain (insula, PAG), or both circuits (NAc, ACC).
Distinct Hb iFC were documented in relation to depression, anhedonia and cannabis use. We hypothesize that
cannabis use and depression in young PLWH have an additive effect, inducing both reward deficits and pain
hypersensitivity and that this pattern will predict worse outcomes at 1 year follow-up. We will utilize a 2×2 factorial
design: 1) 70 depressed cannabis users; 2) 70 depressed cannabis non-users; 3) 70 non-depressed cannabis
users; and 4) 70 non-depressed cannabis non-users. Participants will have comprehensive evaluations at
baseline, 6- and 12-months including depression, substance, reward, pain, anxiety, trauma, HIV treatment, CD4+
count, and VL. Baseline cognitive testing and fMRI (resting-state, RFT, RPET, pain) will be performed. Analytical
approaches wi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11047247
- **Project number:** 7R01DA054885-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Vilma Gabbay
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $709,068
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2027-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11047247

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11047247, The Neural Underpinnings of Depression and Cannabis Use in Young PLWH (7R01DA054885-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11047247. Licensed CC0.

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