WORKING-MEMORY DEFICITS IN HIV-1 INFECTION

Working memory can be defined as the temporary storage of information while processing the same or other information. Because recent researc h has implicated frontal-subcortical circuits in working memory, it wa s hypothesized that individuals with HIV-1 infection may demonstrate w orking memory deficits because of the affinity of the disease for fron tal-subcortical circuits. Twenty HIV-1 positive individuals and 20 ser onegative controls were administered the calculation span (C-span) tas k developed by Daneman and Carpenter. Results indicated that only sero positive subjects who met criteria for AIDS differed from control subj ects on the C-Span. Thus, as assessed by the calculation span task, wo rking memory deficits are evident only in later stages of HIV-1 infect ion.