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Neuropsychological deficits in tests of executive function in asymptomatic and symptomatic HIV-1 seropositive men

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

B. J. Sahakian ,
R. Elliott ,
N. Low ,
M. Mehta ,
R. T. Clark  and
A. L. Pozniak
B. J. Sahakian*
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge; and the Academic Unit of Genitourinary Medicine, King's College Hospital, London
R. Elliott
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge; and the Academic Unit of Genitourinary Medicine, King's College Hospital, London
N. Low
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge; and the Academic Unit of Genitourinary Medicine, King's College Hospital, London
M. Mehta
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge; and the Academic Unit of Genitourinary Medicine, King's College Hospital, London
R. T. Clark
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge; and the Academic Unit of Genitourinary Medicine, King's College Hospital, London
A. L. Pozniak
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge; and the Academic Unit of Genitourinary Medicine, King's College Hospital, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Barbara J. Sahakian, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ.
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Synopsis

There has been much debate about the exact nature and time of onset of the cognitive impairments associated with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Studies to date have not reached consistent conclusions. The present study comprised 22 asymptomatic and 18 symptomatic HIV-1 seropositive men, whose only risk factor for contraction of the virus was sexual intercourse, and 18 seronegative controls matched for age and IQ. Subjects were given computerized neuropsychological tests from the CANTAB battery, which assessed visuospatial memory, attention and executive function. Both the asymptomatic and the symptomatic HIV-1 seropositive subjects showed a selective pattern of deficits relative to the controls. In addition, the seropositive subjects were subtly but significantly impaired on tests of executive function but unimpaired on certain tests of visual memory. This finding supports an hypothesis that frontostriatal dysfunction occurs in HIV-1 infected individuals prior even to the expression of clinical symptoms.

Information

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 25 , Issue 6 , November 1995 , pp. 1233 - 1246
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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References

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