Cocaine's effect on the brain and associated HIV risk will be the topic of November's Hartford HIV Forum. Dr. Peter Tenore from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Division of Substance Abuse, in New York, NY will discuss the biological effects of
cocaine addiction, HIV risk factors, and current treatment approaches to
addiction. He will be speaking on Tuesday, November 9 at noon at the Living
Center, 1841 Broad Street. The event is free; lunch will be provided and
advance registration is required.

Dr. Tenore is medical director of the Trailer One Clinic, a methadone
addiction treatment center that provides full medical care for 4,000
opiate-dependent patients in the Bronx. He has conducted clinical research
on substance use and HIV and published numerous articles.

By attending the Hartford event, interested members of the public and
health care professionals will learn why cocaine is so addictive, where and
how it acts in the brain, its influence on HIV viral loads, and why crack
cocaine is a major risk factor for new cases of HIV.

According to Dr. Tenore there are over 2 million cocaine addicts in the
United States. "The cocaine epidemic does not get as much attention as
heroin does," Dr. Tenore said. "While there are 100,000 heroin-related
emergency room visits a year, cocaine-related emergency room visits number
almost 200,000. Cocaine is a more serious addiction and more deadly."

This is the third lecture in the Fall 2004 series of forums organized by
The Institute for Community Research and the Connecticut AIDS Education and
Training Center. The Hartford HIV Forum meets from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m.,
on the second Tuesday of each month. The goal of the forums is to give the
local community the most up-to-date information on current topics in AIDS
prevention, treatment, research and care. To register for the forum, call
The Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044. Signing for the
hearing impaired and Spanish interpretation are available with a minimum of
ten days advance notice. For more information about the series, contact Peg
Weeks at The Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044 x229.

The Institute for Community Research is an independent, nonprofit
organization which conducts applied research and community enhancement
programs to promote equal access to health, education, and cultural
resources. The Connecticut AIDS Education and Training Center trains
providers with the goal of improving HIV clinical care. The Hartford HIV
Forum is co-sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and GlaxoSmithKline.

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