title: Electrophysiological study of neurologically asymptomatic HIV1 seropositive patients.
abstract: EEGs, brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 33 individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV1+ patients: 13 CDC Class II or III; 20 Class IV). All were neurologically asymptomatic, non-demented, and had a past history of intravenous drug abuse. Sixteen age- and sex-matched normals and 10 HIV1- former drug addicts served as controls. Half of the HIV1+ and HIV1- subjects displayed mild EEG anomalies and, except for one HIV1+ patient, BAEPs were normal in both groups. ERPs were normal in all HIV1- subjects but anomalous (longer latencies of components P2, N2, P3; reduced amplitude of P3) in 9 HIV1+ patients (27%), the incidence of such anomalies being higher for Class IV than Class II/III patients. Auditory ERPs proved the most sensitive and specific of these electrophysiological procedures in detecting subclinical central nervous system involvement in HIV1 infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Science, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ragazzoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grippo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ghidini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schiavone
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lolli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mazzotta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mecocci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pinto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests