Methamphetamine dependence increases risk of neuropsychological impairment in HIV infected persons

Julie D. Rippeth, Robert K. Heaton, Catherine L. Carey, Thomas S. Marnotte, David J. Moore, Raul Gonzalez, Tanya Wolfson, Igor Grant, J. Hampton Atkinson, J. Allen McCutchan, Thomas D. Marcotte, Mark R. Wallace, Ronald J. Ellis, Scott Letendre, Rachel Schrier, Robert K. Heaton, Mariana Cherner, Julie Rippeth, Joseph Sadek, Steve Paul WoodsTerry Jernigan, John Hasselink, Eliezer Masliah, Daniel R. Maysy, Michelle Frybarger, Ian Abramson, Reena Deutsch, Deborah Lazzaretto, Tanya Wolfson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

361 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Both HIV infection and methamphetamine dependence can be associated with brain dysfunction. Little is known, however, about the cognitive effects of concurrent HIV infection and methamphetamine depence. The present study included 200 participants in 4 groups: HIV infected/ methamphetamine dependent (HIV+/METH+), HIV negative/methamphetamine dependent (HIV-/METH+), HIV infected/methamphetamine nondependent (HIV+/METH-), and HIV negative/methamphetamine nondependent (HIV-/METH-). Study groups were comparable for age, education, and ethnicity, although the HIV-/METH- group had significantly more females. A comprehensive, demographically corrected neuropsychological battery was administered yielding a global performance score and scores for seven neurobehavioral domains. Rates of neuropsychological impairment were determined by cutoff scores derived from performances of a separate control group and validated with larger samples of HIV+ and HIV- participants from an independent cohort. Rates of global neuropsychological impairment were higher in the HIV+/METH+ (58%), HIV-/METH+ (40%) and HIV+/METH- (38%) groups compared to the HIV-/METH- (18%) group. Nonparametric analyses revealed a significant monotonic trend for global cognitive status across groups, with least impairment in the control group and highest prevalence of impairment in the group with concurrent HIV infection and methamphetamine dependence, The results indicate that HIV infection and methamphetamine dependence are each associated with neuropsychological deficits, and suggest that these factors in combination are associated with additive deleterious cognitive effects. This additivity may reflect common pathways to neural injury involving both cytotoxic and apoptotic mechanisms.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-14
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of the International Neuropsychological Society
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2004
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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