BACKGROUND: Memory impairment, usually impaired retrieval of information, has been described in HIV/AIDS, especially among those with severe illness. Neuro-cognitive disturbances in HIV/AIDS have been linked to poor quality of life and medication adherence. This prospective, case-control study was designed to assess the verbal and non-verbal memory as well as the attention abilities of Nigerian Africans with HIV/AIDS and correlate their performances with their CD4+ T lymphocytes (CD4+) counts. METHODS: A total of 288 randomly selected subjects, comprising 96 HIV-positive symptomatic patients, 96 HIV-positive asymptomatic patients and 96 HIV-negative controls, participated in the study. The subjects were age-, sex-, and level of education matched. The Recognition Memory Test and Choice Reaction Time tasks, components of the computer-assisted neuropsychological tests battery- the Iron Psychology 'FePsy' were used for cognitive assessments. RESULTS: The mean memory scores of the HIV-positive asymptomatic subjects did not differ significantly from the controls (p > 0.05) but the HIV-positive symptomatic subjects' scores were significantly lower than the controls (p < 0.05). Both HIV-positive groups had psychomotor slowing and impaired attention (p < 0.05). The HIV-positive subjects with CD4+ counts < 200/microl and between 200 and 499/microl had significant memory impairment (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001 respectively) but there was no significant impairment among those with count > or = 500/microl. Impaired ability for sustained attention was however present irrespective of the CD4+ level relative to controls (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that there was no significant memory disturbance among HIV-positive asymptomatic subjects despite the presence of impaired attention and psychomotor slowing, and that the severity of immune suppression (as indicated by the CD4+ T lymphocytes count) is a strong determinant of cognitive decline in HIV/AIDS.
BACKGROUND:Memory impairment, usually impaired retrieval of information, has been described in HIV/AIDS, especially among those with severe illness. Neuro-cognitive disturbances in HIV/AIDS have been linked to poor quality of life and medication adherence. This prospective, case-control study was designed to assess the verbal and non-verbal memory as well as the attention abilities of Nigerian Africans with HIV/AIDS and correlate their performances with their CD4+ T lymphocytes (CD4+) counts. METHODS: A total of 288 randomly selected subjects, comprising 96 HIV-positive symptomatic patients, 96 HIV-positive asymptomatic patients and 96 HIV-negative controls, participated in the study. The subjects were age-, sex-, and level of education matched. The Recognition Memory Test and Choice Reaction Time tasks, components of the computer-assisted neuropsychological tests battery- the Iron Psychology 'FePsy' were used for cognitive assessments. RESULTS: The mean memory scores of the HIV-positive asymptomatic subjects did not differ significantly from the controls (p > 0.05) but the HIV-positive symptomatic subjects' scores were significantly lower than the controls (p < 0.05). Both HIV-positive groups had psychomotor slowing and impaired attention (p < 0.05). The HIV-positive subjects with CD4+ counts < 200/microl and between 200 and 499/microl had significant memory impairment (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001 respectively) but there was no significant impairment among those with count > or = 500/microl. Impaired ability for sustained attention was however present irrespective of the CD4+ level relative to controls (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that there was no significant memory disturbance among HIV-positive asymptomatic subjects despite the presence of impaired attention and psychomotor slowing, and that the severity of immune suppression (as indicated by the CD4+ T lymphocytes count) is a strong determinant of cognitive decline in HIV/AIDS.
Authors: Howard A Crystal; Jeremy Weedon; Susan Holman; Jennifer Manly; Victor Valcour; Mardge Cohen; Kathryn Anastos; Chenglong Liu; Wendy J Mack; Elizabeth Golub; Jason Lazar; Ann Ho; Mary Jeanne Kreek; Robert C Kaplan Journal: J Neurovirol Date: 2011-10-18 Impact factor: 2.643
Authors: Matthew J Wright; Ellen Woo; Jessica Foley; Mark L Ettenhofer; Maria E Cottingham; Amanda L Gooding; Jiah Jang; Michelle S Kim; Steve A Castellon; Eric N Miller; Charles H Hinkin Journal: J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci Date: 2011 Impact factor: 2.198
Authors: Georgette D Kanmogne; Callixte T Kuate; Lucette A Cysique; Julius Y Fonsah; Sabine Eta; Roland Doh; Dora M Njamnshi; Emilienne Nchindap; Donald R Franklin; Ronald J Ellis; John A McCutchan; Fidele Binam; Dora Mbanya; Robert K Heaton; Alfred K Njamnshi Journal: BMC Neurol Date: 2010-07-13 Impact factor: 2.474
Authors: Taofiki A Sunmonu; Olubunmi A Ogunrin; Frank A Imarhiagbe; Lukman F Owolabi; Morenikeji A Komolafe; Olayinka S Llesanmi Journal: eNeurologicalSci Date: 2016-02-24