DRUG AND ALCOHOL-USE AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE IN ASYMPTOMATIC HIV-INFECTION

The effect of drug and alcohol abuse on neuropsychological performance was examined in 132 human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive gay or bisexual men. Syndromal (diagnostic) criteria of alcohol/drug abuse ba sed on DSM-III-R were used, and quantitative estimates of alcohol cons umption were obtained. Very few differences appeared between substance abuse subgroups formed on the basis of recency or severity of drug us e. There were some correlations with the quantitative estimate of alco hol use, but not on the measures previously found to differentiate ser onegative and asymptomatic seropositive gay men. These data indicate t hat alcohol use does affect neuropsychological performance but does no t account for the differences observed in studies of seronegative and seropositive subjects.