COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOR IN ASYMPTOMATIC (CDC STAGE-II AND STAGE-III) HIV -SEROPOSITIVE INTRAVENOUS-DRUG-USERS (IVDUS)

To evaluate cognitive impairment in the early stages of HIV infection in intravenous drug users (IVDUs) we have studied 39 consecutive HIV-i nfected subjects (CDC stage II-III) whose only known risk factor for t he infection was intravenous heroin addiction. The control group was r epresented by 30 seronegative IVDUs. All subjects were tested with an extensive neuropsychological battery assessing general intellectual ab ilities and single cognitive functions. The patients differed from con trols only for tests of attention and visual-motor abilities: 20% of a symptomatic seronegative and PGL patients showed alterations in two or more cognitive tests, as opposed to 3% of controls (p <0.001). Our fi ndings suggest that cognitive deficits seem to be present in a substan tial percentage of IVDUs with asymptomatic HIV infection. Cognitive da mage at this stage seems to selectively involve attention and visual-m otor abilities, sparing general intellectual performances.