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New Research Center on Methamphetamine and HIV funded

The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently funded the establishment of the Translational Methamphetamine AIDS Research Center (TMARC) at UCSD. This 5-year Center grant supports innovative research examining the combined effects of HIV infection and methamphetamine dependence on the structure and function of the central nervous system.

HIV and methamphetamine (METH) are each associated with deleterious effects on the central nervous system (CNS). Although early evidence suggests that HIV and METH may interact to amplify neural injury via common pathways involving neuroinflammation and vasculopathy, their combined effects on the CNS remain poorly understood.

Five Projects were established with the funding of TMARC.  Project 1 will examine inhibitory deficits associated with METH and HIV in humans and mouse models.  Project 2 will examine dysregulated reward processing, interoception, and risk taking using functional magnetic resonance imaging.  Project 3 will examine the effect of HIV co-receptor tropism change on neurocognitive impairment and disease progression in acute and early HIV-infected individuals with and without histories of METH use.  Project 4 will explore cognitive and reward effects of METH in a gp120 mouse model.  Project 5 will explore METH effects on a CCR5 knockout gp120 mouse model with electrophysiological, neuropathological, and neurochemical methods.

TMARC represents an important addition to the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program portfolio at UCSD and cooperating institutions in our region. TMARC will bring unique expertise in substance abuse research, as well as in preclinical studies to complement the resources and focus of the HNRC. At the same time, HNRC’s established record of expertise in matters such as HIV therapeutics will inform and complement TMARC’s ultimate goals of finding approaches to protect the brain from injury by the combined effects of drugs of abuse and HIV.

Visit the TMARC website for more information. More articles on this subject:

Union Tribune: Grant to aid study of meth, HIV
Medical News Today:  $17 Million To UC San Diego For Methamphetamine/AIDS Research