Motor function and human immunodeficiency virus-associated cognitive impairment in a highly active antiretroviral therapy-era cohort.
BACKGROUND
Cognitive impairment has long been recognized as a manifestation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. However, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has altered the neurologic manifestations of HIV.


OBJECTIVE
To develop a measure to quantify the motor abnormalities included in the original descriptions of HIV-associated dementia (HAD); to determine whether motor, affective, and behavioral dysfunction predict cognitive impairment; and to determine whether quantitative motor testing is a helpful adjunct in the diagnosis of HAD in a complex population from the HAART era.


METHODS
Neurologic and neuropsychological data were collected from the Manhattan HIV Brain Bank, a longitudinal cohort study of patients with advanced HIV. The HIV-Dementia Motor Scale (HDMS) was developed and validated and cognitive and affective or behavioral function was quantified using global neuropsychological T scores, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and an independent assessment of apathy. Relationships among cognitive, motor, affective, and behavioral performance were examined using correlation, linear regression, and analyses of variance.


METHODS
An urban AIDS research center.


METHODS
A total of 260 HIV-positive, predominantly minority patients.


METHODS
The HDMS scores and global neuropsychological T scores.


RESULTS
The HDMS and BDI scores were independent predictors of cognitive impairment. Significant cognitive impairment was found in patients with motor dysfunction. Patients diagnosed as having HAD had a greater degree of motor impairment than those with other neurocognitive diagnoses.


CONCLUSIONS
Motor, affective, and behavioral abnormalities predict cognitive impairment in HIV-positive patients in this HAART-era cohort. The HDMS may be useful in the assignment of HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment in HIV populations in which normative data or neuropsychological test design is not optimal.
Robinson-Papp
Jessica
J
Departments of Pathology, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Box 1052, One Gustave L Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA. jessica.robinson-papp@mssm.edu
Byrd
Desiree
D
Mindt
Monica Rivera
MR
Oden
Neal Leonard
NL
Simpson
David M
DM
Morgello
Susan
S
D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000639:trends; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests