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Publication Abstract Display
Type: Published Abstract
Title: National NeuroAIDS Tissue Consortium [NNTC].
Authors: Grant I, Gelman BB, Morgello S, Singer EJ
Year: 2003
Publication: Journal of NeuroVirology
Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Pages: 113
Abstract:The NNTC consists of four cooperating NIMH/NINDS sponsored R24 Centers whose primary goal is to facilitate neuroAIDS research through provision of neurologic tissues acquired from persons with AIDS who were well characterized neuromedically prior to death. The NNTC Centers, located at New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, UCLA, and UCSD have now exalnined 1,254 persons with AIDS on one to several occasions before death and have acquired 236 brain specimens that have extensive antemortem clinical data. Effort is made to harvest tissues within 24 hours of death. Both cryopreserved and paraffin fixed brain specimens from multiple regions are retained. We present clinical and neuropathologic descriptors of the first 113 antemortem-postmortemp airs. Results: Demographics. At last evaluation subjects were aged 43.2 (SD, 8.5); education was 12.5 (SD, 2.4); sex was 79% men; ethnicity was 24% African- American; 22% Hispanic: 50% White: 4% Other. Neuromedical [all data from last visit prior to death]. The laboratory findings were a CD4 median of 55 [IQR 10 to 183]: log 10 plasma RNA median of 4.7 [IQR 3.4 to 5.3]: log 10 CSF RNA median of 4.0 [IQR 2.1 to 5.1]. Neurocognitive status. From a comprehensive neuropsychologicala ssessmenat nd neurologic exam 21% had severe impairment (demential, 49% had moderate impairment {MCMD], 16% were mildly impaired [asymptomatic NP impairment] and 13% were cognitively normal. Deficits in learning, motor skills, and abstraction.executive dysfunction predominated. Neuropa~?logy Diagnoses. No patho~ogy, 20%; mv encephalitis. 22%; Other non infectious pathQlogy, 13%; Alzheimer type II gliosis, 10%; Infarcts or hem. orrhages. 9%; CMV encephalitis. 3%; PMI. 3%; Cyrp. tococcus. 3%; and the remainder, other scattered di. agnoses. [NOTE: foregoing are "primary" pathologic diagnoses; multiple diagnoses occurred frequently]. Conclusions: The NNTC has available a rich collection of neuropathologic specimens of persons dying with AIDS. which can be linked to compre. hensive antemortem information. Despite HAART. mv encephalitis and other neuropathologies remain prevalent. This resource should facilitate research into pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of neu. roAIDS.

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