| Publication Abstract Display | | Type: Published Abstract | | Title: Concordance of MR spectroscopic and neuropsychological deficits in HIV and methamphetamine dependence. | | Authors: Taylor MJ, Schweinsburg BC, Alhassoon OM, Brown GG, Heaton RK, Grant I, and the HNRC Group | | Year: 2002 | | Publication: Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society | | Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Pages: 314 | | Abstract:The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of HIV, methamphetamine dependence, and their combined effects on fronto-striatal regional brain metabolites using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and to determine the extent to which HIV and methamphetamine associated changes in brain metabolites are related to concurrent changes in neuropsychological functioning. Participants from the following groups were assessed using short-echo PRESS MRS: (1) HIV seronegative nondrug users (HIV- Meth-, n=23); (2) HIV seronegative methamphetamine users (HIV- Meth+, n=40); (3) HIV seropositive nondrug users (HIV+ Meth-, n=34); and (4) HIV seropositive methamphetamine users (HIV+ Meth+, n=22). Groups were equated on age and level of illness in the HIV1 groups. Metabolites including N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a marker of neuronal integrity, were measured in the right frontal white matter, midline frontal gray matter, and right caudate nucleus. Two by two ANOVAs (HIV status by methamphetamine status) with metabolites as the dependent variables revealed significantly lower relative amounts of NAAin the frontal white matter of HIV1 subjects regardless of their drug status, F(1,108) = 4.33, p = .04. A similar trend was present in the frontal gray matter, but not the caudate. Lower levels of NAA in frontal gray matter were significantly related to poorer abstraction ability, r=20.26, p=0.04. Reduced NAA in the frontal white matter was related to poorer attention, r=20.25, p=.02. In addition, lower NAA levels in the frontal white matter and caudate nucleus were associated with poorer complex perceptual motor functioning, r=20.23, p=.04, and r=20.22, p=.05, respectively. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that HIV produces damage to fronto-striatal pathways measured at both the molecular and neurobehavioral level. |
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