Preliminary results from this research team suggest that contrary to expectations, neurocognitive deficits among African American men infected with HIV-1 are related to alcohol consumption, but not to the use of cocaine. In this application, the Principal Investigator proposes to follow-up on those initial findings with a series of focused secondary analyses on the very rich dataset collected in the NIDA-funded African American Health Project (AAHP). The study is designed to examine the neurobehavioral effects of HIV/AIDS and substance use in a community sample of HIV-positive and HIV-negative African American men, arguably the largest community sample of high-risk African American who have been assessed with a comprehensive neurobiological, psychiatric, and psychosocial measures. Two parallel studies are proposed in this application. In Study #1, the researchers will examine the contribution of alcohol to high risk sexual behaviors, both independently and as modified by illicit drug use and other psychosocial co-factors in a sample of 190 HIV-positive and 312 HIV-negative men. In Study #2, they will examine the contribution of alcohol to neurocognitive functioning and neurcognitive caseness in the full sample of 502 men. The researchers will examine, also, the role of alcohol in neurophysiologic status and functioning as indexed by regional blood flow (rCBF) in a stratified sample of 118 HIV-positive and HIV-negative men using state-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques (MRI, MRS, SPECT). In these analyses, the researchers will take advantage of a unique dataset using, thereby, a relatively cost- effective means to enhance our understanding of the role alcohol plays in HIV disease in this understudied population.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
1R21AA011912-01A1
Application #
2795832
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG5-AARR-8 (01))
Program Officer
Bryant, Kendall
Project Start
1999-04-01
Project End
2001-03-31
Budget Start
1999-04-01
Budget End
2000-03-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
785877408
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90059
Durvasula, Ramani S; Myers, Hector F; Mason, Karen et al. (2006) Relationship between alcohol use/abuse, HIV infection and neuropsychological performance in African American men. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 28:383-404
Myers, Hector F; Javanbakht, Marjan; Martinez, Mariana et al. (2003) Psychosocial predictors of risky sexual behaviors in African American men: implications for prevention. AIDS Educ Prev 15:66-79