Hepatitis C augments cognitive deficits associated with HIV infection and methamphetamine.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the contribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to neurocognitive dysfunction in individuals with comorbid HIV infection or methamphetamine (METH) dependence.


METHODS
Neurocognitive functioning was examined in 430 study participants who were either normal controls or had HCV infection, HIV infection, history of METH dependence, or combinations of these factors as risks for cognitive deficits.


RESULTS
Rates of global and domain-specific neuropsychological (NP) impairment increased with the number of risk factors. HCV serostatus was a significant predictor of NP performance both globally and in the areas of learning, abstraction, and motor skills, with trends in speeded information processing and delayed recall. HCV serostatus did not predict scores in attention/working memory or verbal fluency.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatitis C virus infection contributes to the neuropsychological deficits observed among HIV-infected and stimulant-dependent populations.
Cherner
M
M
Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92103, USA. mcherner@ucsd.edu
Letendre
S
S
Heaton
R K
RK
Durelle
J
J
Marquie-Beck
J
J
Gragg
B
B
Grant
I
I
D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
D008694:Methamphetamine