Rl. Mapou et al., NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF INTERFERON ALFA-N3 TREATMENT IN ASYMPTOMATIC HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-1-INFECTED INDIVIDUALS, The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 8(1), 1996, pp. 74-81
Eighteen asymptomatic HIV-1-infected (HIV+) individuals were evaluated
neuropsychologically before and during Interferon Alfa-n3 treatment.
All 18 were evaluated twice, and 9 were evaluated three times. Analyse
s revealed few significant effects of treatment on cognitive, motor, a
nd affective function. Improvements occurred over visits on measures o
f attention and appeared to reflect practice effects. Decrements occur
red over visits on measures of procedural and supraspan learning. Exam
ination of the data suggested that decrements were due to procedural a
rtifacts and were not medication effects. In contrast to prior studies
reporting significant neuropsychiatric side effects of interferon alp
ha treatment, fete such effects occurred when HIV+ individuals were tr
eated with Interferon Alfa-n3 and were evaluated neuropsychologically
in a systematic manner.