title: Visuospatial temporal order memory deficits in older adults with HIV infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare temporal order memory in older adults with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The frontal and temporal lobes play a key role in temporal order memory for items in a sequence. HIV-associated episodic memory deficits correlate with damage to neocortical interneurons in the fronto-striato-thalamo-cortical pathway and with atypical activation of the medial temporal lobes. Therefore, temporal order memory may be sensitive to neuropathological changes in individuals with HIV.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 50 HIV-seropositive individuals aged ≥ 50 years and 50 seronegative controls performed a computerized visuospatial temporal order memory task. During the sample phase of each trial, participants were shown circles presented 1 at a time in a random sequence at the end of each of the 8 arms of a radial maze. During the choice phase, they were shown the maze with a circle at the ends of 2 of the arms and asked which circle had appeared earlier than the other in the original sequence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Performance in both groups improved as a function of greater temporal separation between circle presentations. However, the HIV group had significantly worse memory impairment across all temporal separations, and the impairment was independently associated with clinical deficits in executive function and delayed retrospective memory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results extend prior findings that HIV is associated with deficits in strategic aspects of memory encoding and retrieval. The neural mechanisms warrant further research, as do potential impacts on everyday function, eg, adherence to antiretroviral drug regimens.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA †San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA ‡Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
authors.forename: Steven Paul
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Calhuei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoebel
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pirogovsky
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.forename: Marizela V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Gilbert
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology