Publication Abstract Display
Type: Published Abstract
Title: Effects of HIV infection and methamphetamine on specific cognitive domains.
Authors: Rippeth J, Heaton RK, Carey C, Marcotte T, Moore DJ, Gonzalez R, Grant I
Year: 2002
Publication: Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society
Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Pages: 188
Abstract:The neuropsychological (NP) effects of HIV infection are well-documented; less is known about NP effects of methamphetamine (METH) and the combination of HIV+ serostatus and METH. Four groups were examined: (1) HIV+/Meth+, n = 43; (2) HIV-/METH+, n = 47; (3) HIV+/METH-, n = 50; (4) HIV -/ METH-, n = 60. METH+ groups met DSM-IV criteria for METH dependence and were at least 10 days abstinent at testing. Groups were comparable for age, education, and ethnicity; however METH+ and HIV+/METH- groups had more males than the HIV-/METH- group (p < .01). A comprehensive NP battery assessed Verbal Fluency, Attention/Working Memory, Abstraction, Processing Speed, Learning, Memory, and Motor Skills. Demographically corrected T-scores were used to derive global and cognitive domain summary scores. Cut-off scores for NP impairment were determined by a separate HIV- control group (N = 30) demographically comparable, but lacking NP risk factors evident in the study groups (e.g., history of alcohol abuse). Cut-off scores were validated against blind clinical ratings of a lager HIV+/HIV- group. HIV+/METH+, HIV-/METH+, HIV+/METH- groups had higher rates of Global NP impairment than the HIV-/METH- group [x²(3, N = 200) = 13.0; p < .01] Similar findings were evident in the Attention/Working Memory [x²(3, N = 200) = 8.1; p < .05} and Motor Skills [x²(3, N = 200) = 10.5; p < .05] domains. In the Learning Domain, both METH+ groups had higher rates of NP impairment than the HIV-/METH- group; the HIV+/METH+ group had a higher rate of NP impairment than the HIV+/METH- group [x²(3, N = 200) = 11.2; p < .05]. Results indicate HIV, METH, and the combination of HIV and METH are all associated with NP impairment, both globally, and in cognitive domains associated with frontal-subcortical systems.

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