The Impact of Cannabis Use on Cognition in People with HIV: Evidence of Function-Dependent Effects and Mechanisms from Clinical and Preclinical Studies
Samantha M. Ayoub, Breanna M. Holloway, Alannah Miranda, Benjamin Z. Roberts, Jared W Young, Arpi Minassian, Ronald J Ellis
Current HIV/AIDS Reports April 11, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-024-00698-w (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic scoping review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | People with HIV (clinical studies) and preclinical animal models |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key findings | The review found little evidence that cannabis use harms cognition in people with HIV, with few eligible preclinical studies available. Observed beneficial or harmful cognitive effects were function-dependent and confounded by factors such as age and frequency of use. The authors propose anti-inflammatory mechanisms and call for cross-species tasks to accelerate translation. |
Abstract
Cannabis may have beneficial anti-inflammatory effects in people with HIV (PWH); however, given this population’s high burden of persisting neurocognitive impairment (NCI), clinicians are concerned they may be particularly vulnerable to the deleterious effects of cannabis on cognition. Here, we present a systematic scoping review of clinical and preclinical studies evaluating the effects of cannabinoid exposure on cognition in HIV. Results revealed little evidence to support a harmful impact of cannabis use on cognition in HIV, with few eligible preclinical data existing. Furthermore, the beneficial/harmful effects of cannabis use observed on cognition were function-dependent and confounded by several factors (e.g., age, frequency of use). Results are discussed alongside potential mechanisms of cannabis effects on cognition in HIV (e.g., anti-inflammatory), and considerations are outlined for screening PWH that may benefit from cannabis interventions. We further highlight the value of accelerating research discoveries in this area by utilizing translatable cross-species tasks to facilitate comparisons across human and animal work.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on cannabis, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence | 2004 | Review | |
| Cannabis sativa: A comprehensive ethnopharmacological review of a medicinal plant with a long history. General (historical and pharmacological review) | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychiatric effects of cannabis | 2001 | Review | |
| Beyond THC: The New Generation of Cannabinoid Designer Drugs | 2011 | Review | |
| Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an antipsychotic drug | 2006 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Evaluating Cross-Sectional Associations Between Cannabis Use and Prospective Memory in People with HIV AIDS and behavior September 12, 2025
- Evidence for pro-cognitive benefits of cannabinoids in people with bipolar disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology July 21, 2026
- Cannabis use by people with HIV is associated with an anti-inflammatory immunometabolic phenotype in monocyte-derived macrophages. Journal of Neuroinflammation April 17, 2026
- Cannabis use frequency may differentially impact cognitive performance in young adults with and without HIV Frontiers in adolescent medicine March 26, 2026
- THC induced similar physiological effects on HIV transgenic rats and their controls without affecting HIV-induced deficits in effortful motivation. Journal of Cannabis Research January 2, 2026
and 2 more in the library
Cites 12
- Distinct Effects of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol on Neural Activation During Emotional Processing Archives of General Psychiatry 2009
- Modulation of effective connectivity during emotional processing by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology September 24, 2009
- Reinforcement learning deficits exhibited by postnatal PCP-treated rats enable deep neural network classification. Neuropsychopharmacology August 2023
- A longitudinal study of cannabis use and risk for cognitive and functional decline among older adults with HIV AIDS and behavior May 8, 2023
- Regular cannabis use modulates the impact of HIV on the neural dynamics serving cognitive control. Journal of Psychopharmacology December 2022
and 7 more in the library