title: [Neurocognitive impairment related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in socially-excluded former intravenous drug abusers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze differences in neuropsychological test results of former intravenous drug abusers, who were divided into 2 groups based on the presence or absence of HIV-1 infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Higher-level cognitive functions were assessed with neuropsychological tests in 40 former drug abusers (20 with and 20 without HIV-1 infection).
  
  
  RESULTS
  As compared to individuals without infection, patients with HIV-1 infection showed significantly poorer performance in areas related to attention, learning, working memory, verbal fluency, information processing, problem solving, and flexibility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Independently of the effect of drug addiction, HIV infection was associated with cognitive alterations in all the areas examined.
authors.affiliation: Fundación para la Atención e Incorporación Social, Junta de Andalucía, España. esvermor@yahoo.es
authors.forename: Esperanza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vergara-Moragues
authors.forename: Antonio Vergara
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: de Campos
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Girón-González
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012934:Social Isolation; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications