Publication Abstract Display
Type: Poster
Title: Habitual prospective memory in HIV infection.
Authors: Woods SP, Weber E, Cattie JE, Cushman C, Grant I, and the HNRP Group
Date: 02-15-2012
Abstract:The prevalence of older adults living with HIV infection is on the rise, due in large part to the success of antiretroviral therapies. Older age and HIV infection may confer additive adverse effects on neurocognitive outcomes, including prospective memory (PM), which may increase the risk of everyday functioning complications. To extend this literature, the current study evaluated the combined effects of HIV and aging on habitual PM, which is hypothesized to better reflect real-world situations in which an intention recurs at regular intervals (e.g., medication adherence). Participants included 55 older (i.e., >50 years) HIV+ and 41 older HIV- subjects, as well as 34 younger (i.e., < 40 years) HIV+ and 39 younger HIV- participants. Subjects completed a habitual PM task in which they were instructed to press the space bar one time per one-minute trial of a computerized Stroop paradigm (but not within the first 10 seconds). Results showed main effects of HIV serostatus (p=.04), such that HIV-infected subjects had higher rates of omission errors (d=.33), but no main effect of age or interaction (ps>.10). No main effects or interactions were observed for early responding or errors of commission (ps>.10). Within the HIV+ groups, higher rates of habitual PM omission errors correlated with executive dysfunction, retrospective memory deficits, and semi-naturalistic PM failures (ps<.05). Independent of age, persons living with HIV infection may experience difficulty fulfilling future intentions, even when such intentions recur at regular intervals. The possible unique role of HIV-associated habitual PM deficits in everyday functioning outcomes may warrant investigation.

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