Both HIV and drugs of abuse — such as cocaine, alcohol, heroin and methamphetamine — can negatively impact brain functions such as memory, attention and concentration and decision-making. Approximately 50 percent of persons living with HIV/AIDS have some degree of cognitive impairment, which can impair daily activities such as managing money and living independently, and drug use is very common among individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
Drugs of abuse affect the brains of men and women differently. Also, women who use stimulant drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamine may become addicted more rapidly and have more difficulty staying clean and sober than men.
Our research program at the Cognitive and Addiction Neuroscience Research Lab, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse since 1999, investigates critical brain functions affected by HIV/AIDS and drugs of abuse:
- Risky decision-making
- Learning and memory
- Multitasking and concentration
- Effects of psychiatric or medical factors, such as PTSD or hepatitis C virus
Our expert collaborators include national and international experts from the University of Illinois, Stroger Hospital, Florida International University, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of South Carolina and the University of Southern California, among other schools.
Below are some of the questions we ask:
- Are these effects of HIV and drug use different for men and women?
- Does depression, PTSD or infection with hepatitis C virus increase these effects?
- Could new cognitive training strategies to improve memory be developed based on study results?
Our leadership
Eileen Martin, PhD, professor of psychiatry, director and lead investigator
Martin has led multiple research projects on HIV and mental function since 1989 at the University of California, Davis; the University of Illinois at Chicago; and, since 2012, at Rush University.
Our research staff
- Lorraine Gibson, Project Coordinator
- Leslie Ladd, Lab Coordinator
- Michael Keutmann, Data Manager
- Sida Chen, Research Specialist
- Haley Sullins, Research Specialist
Publications
You may read more about the work of Eileen Martin, PhD, on PubMed.
Our funding
- R01 DA 12828, Cognitive Neuropsychology of HIV and Drug Abuse
Contact us
Eileen Martin, PhD
Professor
2150 W. Harrison St.
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 563-6644