Publication Abstract Display
Type: Published Manuscript
Title: Neuropsychological Feasibility Study among HIV+/AIDS persons in China.
Authors: Shi C, Yu X, Heaton R, Jin H, Grant I
Year: 2005
Publication: Chinese Mental Health Journal
Volume: 19 Issue: 5 Pages: 343-346
Abstract:"Objective: To explore the profile of neuropsychological function and mood status of Chinese HIV/AIDS subjects. Methods: We recruited 28 HIV+ and 23 HIV- subjects who were matched in gender, age and education. Our current neuropsychological test battery consisted of 18 individual test measures, each assigned to I of 7 ability areas thought to be especially vulnerable to effects of HIV on the brain (i.e., verbal fluency, abstraction/executive function, speed of information processing, attention/working memory, learning, delayed recall and motor). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) also was employed. Results: HIV+ subjects were significantly worse than HIV- subjects on raw scores for 5 of the 18 individual cognitive test measures (Category fluency, Sound fluency, Trails A, Color Trails-II, and HVLT Total Learning)(P<005). Demographically corrected T-scores based upon U.S. norms also showed a significant group difference on summary measures covering the total test battery (P<0.05) as well as the Verbal (P<0.05), Abstraction/Executive Function (P<0.05) and Learning (P<0.05) domains. It is interesting to note that the mean T-scores of the Chinese HIV - groups are close to the U.S. normative mean of 50 (i.e., Global of 48, and domains ranging from 46-51). Our Chinese HIV+ group demonstrated considerably more depressed mood than their HIV- controls (P<0.001).) However, similar to what has been reported for US samples of HIV/AIDS, BDI total score was not strongly related to global neuropsychological functioning (r= 0.22, N.S.). Conclusions: First, the neuropsychological test battery that was chosen and adapted for use in this study appears to have reasonable cross-cultural equivalence. Second, Chinese HIV+ subjects performed significantly worse than HIV- controls in the total test battery, as well as in Verbal, Abstraction/Executive Function and Leaning domains. And finally, the emotional response is very serious in Chinese HIV+ subjects, but depression does not significantly influence neurocognitive impairment associated with HIV infection.

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