HIV infection affects parietal-dependent spatial cognition: evidence from mental rotation and hierarchical pattern perception.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the asymptomatic phase of the infection impairs some aspects of cognition, but little is known about how visuospatial functions are affected. In the present study, performance on tasks of mental rotation and hierarchical pattern perception was investigated in 14 HIV-positive men and 12 age- and education-matched HIV-negative men. Processes related to mental rotation of objects and hands were impaired in HIV-positive participants as compared to the HIV-negative group. The HIV-positive group was also impaired on hierarchical pattern perception of local targets under global biasing conditions. Consistent with these results, the HIV-positive participants showed impaired performance on standard clinical neuropsychological tests of visuospatial function. These findings indicate that the detrimental effects of HIV on cognition appear even in asymptomatic individuals and affect diverse visuospatial functions that depend upon the integrity of parietal brain regions.
Olesen
Pernille J
PJ
Department of Women and Child Health, Astrid Lindgren's Children's Hospital, Karolinska Institutet.
Schendan
Haline E
HE
0000-0001-8925-5605
Department of Psychology, Tufts University.
Amick
Melissa M
MM
Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island.
Cronin-Golomb
Alice
A
Department of Psychology, Boston University.
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011340:Problem Solving; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*