TERBO Brain

TERBO BRAIN (Trajectories of Emotional Regulation and Behavior Outcomes and Related Brain Regions and Intrinsic Networks) was a longitudinal investigation of neurodevelopmental consequences and underlying mechanisms of perinatal exposures to HIV and antiretrovirals, enrolling children and adolescents with perinatal HIV exposure who are uninfected from the SMARTT study and young adults with perinatal HIV exposure who are uninfected and young adults with perinatally acquired HIV from the AMP Up study.

Understanding the Conditions and Experiences that Contribute to the Well-Being of Adolescents and Young Adults Living with Perinatal HIV and ART Exposure

A unique feature of the TERBO BRAIN study was the utilization of functional and structural neuroimaging to assess brain networks in developing children and adolescents who were perinatally exposed to HIV and antiretroviral therapy with the goal of determining whether disrupted brain networks underlie differences in emotional regulation and may be associated with neurodevelopmental consequences sometimes observed in youth who are HIV-exposed and did not acquire HIV infection. The study also investigated how brain networks and emotional regulation are related to mental health and substance use during development and aimed to identify both positive and challenging mental health characteristics that play a role in the development and well-being of the study participants.

For young adults who have lived with HIV since birth and those perinatally HIV-exposed but without HIV acquisition the study also utilized neuroimaging to determine how brain networks and emotional regulation are associated with cognitive, mental health and behavioral health outcomes, including attainment of adult transition milestones, such as higher education and employment. The study also examined the impact of vulnerability and resilience factors such as HIV progression, mental health and substance use, coping, and social support.

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