title: Upper and lower limb motor impairments in alcoholism, HIV infection, and their comorbidity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Both HIV infection and alcoholism can impair motor abilities involving manual dexterity and postural stability. Given the high prevalence of HIV and alcoholism comorbidity, we examined whether each disease selectively disrupts different components of upper and lower limb motor control and whether these impairments are compounded by disease comorbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Simple and complex upper (speed and finger dexterity) and lower (static posture) limb functions were tested in 31 men with HIV infection, 27 with alcoholism, 43 comorbid for HIV infection and alcoholism, and 22 normal healthy controls to assess whether comorbid patients would demonstrate greater motor impairment relative to those with a single diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with HIV infection and those with alcoholism had impaired upper and lower limb motor function. Disease comorbidity compounded deficits in speeded finger movement. Neither Beck Depression Inventory scores, self-reported peripheral neuropathy, nor HIV medication accounted for group differences. Lower limb motor composite scores with eyes open were correlated with upper limb motor scores in the alcoholism group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the observed impairment patterns indicate the presence of upper and lower limb motor impairment in both HIV infection and alcoholism and the relevance of alcoholism in exacerbating impairment in speeded fine finger movement, when it occurs in HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Program, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, USA.
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fama
authors.forename: Jeffrey C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Eisen
authors.forename: Margaret J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rosenbloom
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sassoon
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Kemper
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deresinski
authors.forename: Adolf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pfefferbaum
authors.forename: Edith V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*