title: Delayed motor learning and psychomotor slowing in HIV-infected children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out whether HIV-associated subclinical psychomotor slowing is present in HIV-infected children despite effective highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
  
  
  METHODS
  An electrophysiological motor test battery shown to sensitively describe HIV-associated CNS disease in adults (tremor peak frequency []TPF], most rapid alternating movements [MRAM], reaction time [RT] and contraction time [CT]) was performed in 17 HIV seropositive (+) right-handed children. Results were compared to 16 HIV seronegative (-) children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIV (-) children showed slower frequencies (TPF, MRAM) and longer RT and CT than (-) adults. They showed a significant correlation (p = 0.0263) between RT (right = dominant hand) and age. HIV (+) children showed significant prolongations of RT (right hand) and CT (both hands) compared to HIV (-) children. RT right hand did not accelerate with age in HIV (+) children. CT were significantly prolonged in 10 children with detectable HIV plasma viral burden and normal in 7 children with no detectable HIV plasma viral load. There was no correlation between CT and CD 4 cell counts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite effective HAART, electrophysiological motor testing in HIV (+) children reveals significant subclinical CNS dysfunction, especially in children with insufficient viral load suppression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany. giesenhj@uni-duesseldorf.de
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: von Giesen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niehues
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reumel
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Haslinger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ndagijimana
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arendt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019562:Viral Load