The Impact of Cannabis Use on Cognition in People with HIV: Evidence of Function-Dependent Effects and Mechanisms from Clinical and Preclinical Studies

• Published in: Current HIV/AIDS reports 2024-06, Vol.21 (3), p.87-115
• Main Authors: Ayoub, Samantha M., Holloway, Breanna M., Miranda, Alannah H., Roberts, Benjamin Z., Young, Jared W., Minassian, Arpi, Ellis, Ronald J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cannabinoids - adverse effects; Cannabinoids - pharmacology; Cannabinoids - therapeutic use; Cannabis; Cannabis - adverse effects; Cognition; Cognition & reasoning; Cognition - drug effects; Cognitive Dysfunction - drug therapy; Cognitive Dysfunction - etiology; HIV; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Inflammation; Marijuana; Marijuana Use - adverse effects; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Review; Topical Collection on Central Nervous System and Cognition
• ISSN: 1548-3568; 1548-3576
• DOI: 10.1007/s11904-024-00698-w

Purpose of Review 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. Recent Findings 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). Summary 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.