Neuropsychological impairment and the natural history of HIV-1 infection in Spanish subjects

The authors set out to determine the rates and pattern of neuropsychological impairment shown by seropositive Spanish patients in different stages of HIV infection. A clinical sample was recruited consisting of 115 heterosexual subjects (30 seropositive asymptomatic; 17 seropositive in stage B; 41 s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Functional neurology Vol. 22; no. 3; p. 165
Main Authors:	Rodríguez Alvarez, Marina, Faílde Garrido, José María, Simón López, Miguel Angel
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Italy 01-07-2007
Subjects:	Adult Disease Progression Female HIV Infections - complications HIV Infections - psychology Humans Male Mental Disorders - diagnosis Mental Disorders - etiology Nervous System Diseases - diagnosis Nervous System Diseases - etiology Neuropsychological Tests Risk Factors Spain Spain
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Summary:	The authors set out to determine the rates and pattern of neuropsychological impairment shown by seropositive Spanish patients in different stages of HIV infection. A clinical sample was recruited consisting of 115 heterosexual subjects (30 seropositive asymptomatic; 17 seropositive in stage B; 41 seropositive with AIDS, and 27 seronegative). All subjects provided written informed consent and were submitted to the same process of evaluation. A rate of neuropsychological impairment of 33.3% was found in stage A (asymptomatic patients); of 41.2% in stage B (low symptomatology patients); and of 70.7% in stage C (AIDS patients). The pattern of neuropsychological impairment shown by the AIDS patients was qualitatively similar to that observed in the asymptomatic subjects, and consistent with fronto-subcortical-type alterations. Clinically asymptomatic HIV infection represents a risk factor for neuropsychological impairment, even though our results reinforce the idea that the impairment seen in the asymptomatic stages cannot be interpreted as a predictor of more severe cognitive deficits as the disease progresses.
ISSN:	0393-5264