Verbal memory declines more rapidly with age in HIV infected versus uninfected adults

• Published in: Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 356 - 367
• Main Authors: Seider, Talia R., Luo, Xi, Gongvatana, Assawin, Devlin, Kathryn N., de la Monte, Suzanne M., Chasman, Jesse D., Yan, Peisi, Tashima, Karen T., Navia, Bradford, Cohen, Ronald A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hove Routledge 21.04.2014; Psychology Press
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Age Factors; Aged; Aging - physiology; Autoimmune diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Cognitive aging; Female; HIV; HIV Seropositivity - physiopathology; HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Infectious diseases; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Memory; Memory - physiology; Middle Aged; Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Space Perception - physiology; Verbal Learning - physiology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Memory disorder; Senescence; Cognitive disorder; Memory; Autoimmune disease; Cognition; HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder; Language; Adult; Cognitive aging; Age; Human; Immunopathology; Retroviridae; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Infection; Virus; Verbal memory; Concomitant disease; HIV; Viral disease; Human immunodeficiency virus; Autoimmune diseases; Comparative study
• ISSN: 1380-3395; 1744-411X
• DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2014.892061

In the current era of effective antiretroviral treatment, the number of older adults living with HIV is rapidly increasing. This study investigated the combined influence of age and HIV infection on longitudinal changes in verbal and visuospatial learning and memory. Method: In this longitudinal, case-control design, 54 HIV seropositive and 30 seronegative individuals aged 40-74 years received neurocognitive assessments at baseline visits and again one year later. Assessment included tests of verbal and visuospatial learning and memory. Linear regression was used to predict baseline performance and longitudinal change on each test using HIV serostatus, age, and their interaction as predictors. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to assess the effects of these predictors on overall baseline performance and overall longitudinal change. Results: The interaction of HIV and age significantly predicted longitudinal change in verbal memory performance, as did HIV status, indicating that although the seropositive group declined more than the seronegative group overall, the rate of decline depended on age such that greater age was associated with a greater decline in this group. The regression models for visuospatial learning and memory were significant at baseline, but did not predict change over time. HIV status significantly predicted overall baseline performance and overall longitudinal change. Conclusions: This is the first longitudinal study focused on the effects of age and HIV on memory. Findings suggest that age and HIV interact to produce larger declines in verbal memory over time. Further research is needed to gain a greater understanding of the effects of HIV on the aging brain.