title: A pilot study of the effects of internet-based cognitive stimulation on neuropsychological function in HIV disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mild cognitive deficits associated with HIV disease can affect activities of daily living, so interventions that reduce them may have a long-term effect on quality of life. We evaluated the feasibility of a cognitive stimulation program (CSP) to improve neuropsychological test performance in HIV disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty volunteers (30 HIV-infected) participated. The primary outcome was the change in neuropsychological test performance as indexed by the Global Impairment Rating; secondary outcomes included mood (Brief Symptom Inventory subscales) and quality of life rating (Medical Outcomes Survey-HIV) scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-two participants completed all 24 weeks of the study, and 54% of the participants in the CSP group successfully used the system via internet access from their home or other location. There was a significant interaction between usage and study visit such that the participants who used the program most frequently showed significantly greater improvements in cognitive functioning (F(3, 46.4 = 3.26, p = 0.030); none of the secondary outcomes were affected by the dose of CSP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found it possible to complete an internet-based CSP in HIV-infected individuals; ease of internet access was a key component for success. Participants who used the program most showed improvements in cognitive function over the 24-week period, suggesting that a larger clinical trial of CSP may be warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. beckerjt@pitt.edu
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Mary Amanda
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dew
authors.forename: Howard J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Aizenstein
authors.forename: Oscar L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saxton
authors.forename: Lluís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tárraga
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome