title: White-Matter damage in Clade C HIV-positive subjects: a diffusion tensor imaging study.
abstract: The relationship between cognitive impairment and white-matter integrity in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains poorly understood, particularly in clade C. The authors utilized diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation to investigate the relationship between cognitive impairment and white-matter integrity in HIV-positive subjects with clade C HIV. Forty-four HIV-infected individuals and 10 seronegative subjects were compared, using a whole-brain, voxel-based approach to define fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusion (MD). Compared with healthy-control subjects, the HIV-infected group exhibited decreased FA in the corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and cingulum and sagittal stratum. This study provides evidence that white-matter integrity is compromised in individuals infected with clade C HIV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. hoare.jax@googlemail.com
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoare
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Fouche
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spottiswoode
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sorsdahl
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Combrinck
authors.forename: Dan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Joska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D056784:Leukoencephalopathies / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D055815:Young Adult