title: Neurocognitive functioning in HIV-1 infection: effects of cerebrovascular risk factors and age.
abstract: This study examined the interactive effects of cerebrovascular risks, advancing age, and HIV infection on neurocognition, and explored whether pharmacological treatment of cerebrovascular risk factors attenuated neurocognitive dysfunction. Participants included 98 HIV-seropositive adults (cerebrovascular risk: 23.5%; age > 50: 27.6%). Cerebrovascular risk was associated with slower processing speed even after controlling for age effects (b = -2.071; p =.04), and the interaction of age and cerebrovascular risk was associated with poorer verbal fluency (b = 1.276, p =.002). Participants with pharmacologically untreated cerebrovascular risk demonstrated reduced processing speed, learning/memory, and executive functioning relative to those on medication. Poor cerebrovascular health confers significant risk for HIV+ individuals, and this effect may be of greater consequence than advancing age. The cognitive impact of risk appears to be more pronounced in the absence of adequate pharmacological treatment.
authors.affiliation: UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA 90095-8353, USA. jmfoley@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ettenhofer
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Siddiqi
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: April D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Thames
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castellon
authors.forename: Charles H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hinkin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index