title: P300 latency and neurocognitive functioning in recently diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the P300 latency and amplitude in recently diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients and compare the same with a healthy control group. Further an attempt was made to study the correlation between P300 amplitude and latency (in milliseconds) with neurocognitive functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty newly diagnosed HIV-positive patients who on self report did not have any cognitive dysfunction were recruited. The patients were evaluated for P300 evoked response using the odd-ball paradigm, MMSE and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. The P300 latencies were compared with 30 normal control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean P300 latency (in milliseconds) of the HIV-positive subjects was significantly more than the healthy control group. The mean amplitude of HIV group was significantly less than the normal control group. On MMSE, 7 HIV-positive subjects had mild cognitive impairment (MMSE total score 20-23), six patients had minimal cognitive impairment (MMSE total score 24-27) and 17 patients had no cognitive impairment (MMSE total score >27). On neuropsychological test battery only three (10%) of HIV-positive subjects had cognitive dysfunction. There was negative correlation between P300 latency (in milliseconds) and MMSE total score and performance on Koh's Block subtest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  P300 may be a reliable indicator of cognitive impairments in HIV patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Ritu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nehra
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grover
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chetri
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sood
authors.forename: Chandi P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Das
keywords: Cognitive functions; evoked potential; human immunodeficiency virus