title: Serial position effects in HIV-infected injecting drug users.
abstract: This study examined memory and serial position effects in HIV-positive injecting drug users (IDUs), HIV-negative IDUs, and nondrug using control participants. Exploratory analyses investigating a possible mediating role of executive functions with HIV infection, drug use, and memory were also performed. Control participants showed stronger primacy effects than did both HIV-positive and HIV-negative IDUs and also outperformed the drug using groups on all memory measures. Interestingly, analysis of the role of executive functions with HIV infection, drug use, and memory suggested that executive functioning may mediate the verbal memory deficits associated with HIV infection, but not those associated with IDU.
authors.affiliation: University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, PO Box 016960 (M817), Miami, FL 33101, USA. dwaldrop@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Drenna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Waldrop
authors.forename: Raymond L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ownby
authors.forename: Mahendra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D012691:Serial Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000503:physiopathology*