Stress and Pain in People Living With HIV

This study is looking at how stress and pain affect people living with HIV, especially those who also have depression and cannabis use disorder. Researchers want to understand how stress impacts the body's systems (like hormones) and how this relates to feelings of distress, cravings, and substance use. You would participate in two experimental sessions, 1-3 days apart, involving a stress task called the Yale Pain Stress Task (YPST). The study will measure changes in stress hormones like cortisol and ACTH, and pain levels. To join, you need to be 18-68 years old, able to read English, and have HIV with an undetectable viral load and good adherence to your HIV medication. Some groups will also need to meet criteria for cannabis use disorder and major depression. The study is currently recruiting 120 participants, but its overall status is unclear.

Study design
This is an interventional study involving 120 participants, divided into four groups, with and without HIV and other conditions. The study uses a specific stress task (YPST) in two experimental sessions.
What's involved
You would be scheduled for two experimental sessions, 1-3 days apart, involving the Yale Pain Stress Task. The study will also include a follow-up phase to assess drug use and mood symptoms.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Changes in cortisol, ACTH, and pain stress will be measured at day 1 and day 3. There is also a follow-up phase to assess drug use and mood symptoms, but its duration is not specified.

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NCT06784908

Stress and Pain in People Living With HIV

Recruiting
NAAges 18–68InterventionalBasic science
Yale University
~120 participants
Updated 2026-04-27 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Yale Pain Stress Task (YPST)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in cortisol levels
Measured over day 1 and day 3
+2 more outcomes measured
HIV
Depression
Cannabis Use Disorder
Stress
Pain
1 sites across 1 states
Connecticut1
  • Rajita Sinha, Ph.D. · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Yale University

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

good health as verified by screening examination
Able to read English and complete study evaluations and provide informed written and verbal consent. Additional criteria PLWH
HIV-1 lab test positive
undetectable viral load
good ART adherence
CB positive urine toxicology
meet DSM-5 criteria for CUD and MDD as assessed using SCID-I. HC
HIV-1 test negative
urine toxicology negative
no major medical and psychiatric diagnoses based on DSM-V.
HIV-1 test positive
urine toxicology negative
no major medical and psychiatric diagnoses based on DSM-V.
HIV-1 test negative
urine toxicology positive
meet DSM-5 criteria for CUD and MDD as assessed using SCID-I

Exclusion

meet primary, current moderate and severe criteria for other SUD including cocaine, alcohol, opiates, sedatives, nicotine
current use or past history of cocaine or opioid use disorder
history of any psychotic disorder
current diagnoses of bipolar disorder and PTSD
psychotic or otherwise severely psychiatrically disabled (i.e., suicidal, homicidal, current mania)
significant underlying medical conditions such as cerebral, renal, thyroid or cardiac pathology that would interfere with study participation
medications with known central effects on HPA axis and cytokines/immune function
women who are pregnant, nursing or those using hormonal birth control that affect HPA axis cortisol responses.
  • Change in cortisol levelsday 1 and day 3

    Mean change in cortisol levels (pg/ml) assessed using repeated blood sampling over 2 hour period on 2 separate days to extract plasma for cortisol measurement using standard RIA assay procedures.

  • Change in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levelsday 1 and day 3

    Mean change in pain stress assessed using repeated blood sampling over 2 hour period on 2 separate days to extract plasma for ACTH measurement using standard RIA assay procedures.

  • Change in pain stressday 1 and day 3

    Mean change in pain stress assessed using repeated sampling over 2 hour period on 2 separate days using 10-point visual analog scales (VAS) where 0 is not at all and 10 is the most pain being experienced.