A prospective four-year follow-up of neuropsychological function in HIV seropositive and seronegative methadone-maintained patients

Charles H. Silberstein, Mary Alice O'Dowd, Patricia Chartock, Ellie E. Schoenbaum, Gerald Friedland, Diana Hartel, F. Patrick McKegney

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

The evolution of central nervous system (CNS) impairments associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was assessed by a prospective, longitudinal study of patients in a methadone maintenance clinic. At a mean of 47 months after baseline testing, which included physical exams, HIV antibody testing and a neuropsychological (NP) screening battery, 121 subjects received a second NP assessment. Forty subjects (33%) who were seropositive at baseline showed statistically significant declines in NP function over the 4 years compared with 81 seronegatives, on the Finger Tapping and Trail Making B tests. This relatively long-term follow-up suggests that subtle cognitive deficits develop over time and can be identified early, but their course is slow and appears generally to parallel that of non-CNS symptoms/signs of HIV infection.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)351-359
Number of pages9
JournalGeneral hospital psychiatry
Volume15
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1993

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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