Regular cannabis use modulates the impact of HIV on the neural dynamics serving cognitive control.
Mikki Schantell, Seth D Springer, Yasra Arif, Megan E Sandal, Madelyn P Willett, Hallie J Johnson, Hannah J Okelberry, Jennifer L O'Neill, Pamela E May, Sara H Bares, Tony W Wilson
Journal of Psychopharmacology December 2022 DOI: 10.1177/02698811221138934 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 100 |
| Population | People with HIV who use cannabis, people with HIV who do not use cannabis, uninfected cannabis users, and uninfected nonusers |
| Measures | Eriksen flanker task, magnetoencephalography (MEG) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Keywords | Cannabis use Hiv Cognitive control Magnetoencephalography Prefrontal cortex |
| Key findings | Nonusers with HIV generally exhibited the most aberrant behavioral and neural interference responses, along with significantly elevated spontaneous alpha activity in the left inferior frontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices. Spontaneous and oscillatory alpha activity were significantly coupled in these regions among cannabis users but not nonusers. The authors conclude that regular cannabis use appears to suppress the impact of HIV on spontaneous and oscillatory alpha deficits in the left inferior frontal cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. |
Abstract
Cannabis use and HIV are independently associated with decrements in cognitive control. However, the combined effects of HIV and regular cannabis use on the brain circuitry serving higher-order cognition are unclear. Investigate the interaction between cannabis and HIV on neural interference effects during the flanker task and spontaneous activity in regions underlying higher-order cognition. The sample consisted of 100 participants, including people with HIV (PWH) who use cannabis, PWH who do not use cannabis, uninfected cannabis users, and uninfected nonusers. Participants underwent an interview regarding their substance use history and completed the Eriksen flanker task during magnetoencephalography (MEG). MEG data were imaged in the time-frequency domain and oscillatory maps depicting the neural flanker interference effect were probed for group differences. Voxel time series were then assessed for group-level differences in spontaneous activity. Group differences in behavioral performance were identified along with group differences in theta and alpha neural interference responses in higher-order regions across the cortex, with nonusers with HIV generally exhibiting the most aberrant responses. Likewise, time series analyses indicated that nonusers with HIV also had significantly elevated spontaneous alpha activity in the left inferior frontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (dlPFC). Finally, we found that spontaneous and oscillatory alpha activity were significantly coupled in the inferior frontal cortex and dlPFC among cannabis users, but not nonusers. Regular cannabis use appears to suppress the impact of HIV on spontaneous and oscillatory alpha deficits in the left inferior frontal cortex and dlPFC.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabis use before age 15 and subsequent executive functioning 104 chronic cannabis users (49 early-onset before age 15, 55 late-onset after age 15)... | 2011 | Observational cross-sectional study | n = 148 |
| Patterns of simultaneous polysubstance use in drug using university students Drug-using university students | 2006 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 149 |
| Persisting Reductions in Cannabis, Opioid, and Stimulant Misuse After Naturalistic Psychedelic Use: An Online Survey Online survey respondents | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | |
| User perceptions of the benefits and harms of hallucinogenic drug use: A web-based questionnaire study Users of hallucinogenic drugs who completed a web-based questionnaire | 2010 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 600 |
| Illicit Use of LSD or Psilocybin, but not MDMA or Nonpsychedelic Drugs, is Associated with Mystical Experiences in a Dose-Dependent Manner Adults recruited from the MAPS website and newsletter, most reporting use of various... | 2012 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 337 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Cannabis use by people with HIV is associated with an anti-inflammatory immunometabolic phenotype in monocyte-derived macrophages. Journal of Neuroinflammation April 17, 2026
- Chronic cannabis use differentially modulates neural oscillations serving the manipulate versus maintain components of working memory processing. Neurobiology of Disease February 1, 2025
- Cannabis- and HIV-related perturbations to the cortical gamma dynamics supporting inhibitory processing. Brain Communications 2025
- Regular cannabis use modulates gamma activity in brain regions serving motor control. Journal of Psychopharmacology November 1, 2024
- Chronic cannabis use alters the spontaneous and oscillatory gamma dynamics serving cognitive control. Human Brain Mapping August 1, 2024
and 2 more in the library
Cites 10
- The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies Pharmacology & Therapeutics October 20, 2018
- Regular Recreational Cannabis Users Exhibit Altered Neural Oscillatory Dynamics during Attention Reorientation Psychological Medicine September 22, 2021
- Altered Fronto-Occipital Connectivity during Visual Selective Attention in Regular Cannabis Users Psychopharmacology November 25, 2020
- Cognitive outcomes associated with long-term, regular, recreational cannabis use in adults: A meta-analysis. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology August 1, 2020
- Acute and Chronic Effects of Cannabinoids on Human Cognition-A Systematic Review. Biological Psychiatry April 1, 2016
and 5 more in the library