HIV-1 and Brain Interaction on Smoking Comorbidity

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United
States. The alarmingly high smoking rates and unsatisfactory performance of standard smoking
cessation efforts in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) interfere with the overall progress
in the treatment of HIV-1 infection. Our understanding of nicotine addiction mechanisms in
PLWH, and how they are related to and interact with HIV-1 neuropathology, is limited and thus
hindering the development of more effective, targeted treatments. The study will directly
address neurological complication of this HIV-associated comorbidity at the brain circuitry
level using state-of-the-art imaging tools and methods.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects between ages 18-60 in good health

2. Ability to give written informed consent

3. For people living with HIV: should be diagnosed with HIV two years or more and on ART
two years or more

4. For people living with HIV: should have achieved virologic suppression (defined as
viral loads of ≤ 200 copies/ml), and without current signs of reactivation

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Inability to sign informed consent

2. Unable to undergo MRI scanning due to metallic devices or objects (cardiac pacemaker
or neurostimulator, some artificial joints, metal pins, surgical clips or other
implanted metal parts) or claustrophobic to the scanner

3. Any major medical illnesses to include, but not limited to, uncontrolled high blood
pressure or high blood sugar, cardiovascular disease, asthma, peripheral vascular
diseases, coagulopathies, history of superficial or deep vein thrombosis as per
medical history

4. Current substance-induced psychiatric disorders

5. Significant alcohol or other drug use, other than nicotine dependence or marijuana use

6. Gross structural abnormalities and/or have a history of syncope

7. Positive urine pregnancy tests

8. Any neurological illnesses to include, but not limited to, seizure disorders, multiple
sclerosis, movement disorders, or history of head trauma, CVA, CNS tumor,

9. For people living with HIV: having AIDS or non-AIDS-defining cancer or active CNS and
other opportunistic disease

10. For people living with HIV: on active treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV)