Early HIV-related neuropsychological impairment: relationship to stage of viral infection |
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| Authors: | A Gibbs D G Andrewes G Szmukler B Mulhall S C Bowden |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. |
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| Abstract: | Sixty male outpatients with no past neuropsychiatric history were examined for evidence of early HIV-related neuropsychological impairment. Significant cognitive deficit, as measured by the RAVLT and WAIS-R Digit Symbol Substitution tests, and moderate correlation with indices of immune function, were observed in a group of patients with AIDS-Related Complex [ARC]. Patients with asymptomatic HIV-infection demonstrated no significant differences in performance compared to a group of HIV-seronegative controls. No significant group differences in age, education, predicted-IQ or self-rated depression and anxiety were observed. These results support the hypothesis that HIV-related cognitive disturbance occurs within the context of immunosuppression. |
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