A PROSPECTIVE 4-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTION IN HIV-SEROPOSITIVE AND SERONEGATIVE METHADONE-MAINTAINED PATIENTS

The evolution of central nervous system (CNS) impairments associated w ith human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was assessed by a pro spective, longitudinal study of patients in a methadone maintenance cl inic. At a mean of 47 months after baseline testing, which included ph ysical exams, HIV antibody testing and a neuropsychological (NP) scree ning battery, 121 subjects received a second NP assessment. Forty subj ects (33%) who were seropositive at baseline showed statistically sign ificant declines in NP function over the 4 years compared with 81 sero negatives, on the Finger Tapping and Trail Making B tests. This relati vely long-term follow-up suggests that subtle cognitive deficits devel op 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 i nfection.