scholarly journals Behavioral impairment and cognition in Thai adolescents affected by HIV

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Payal B. Patel ◽  
Andrew Belden ◽  
Ryan Handoko ◽  
Thanyawee Puthanakit ◽  
Stephen Kerr ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cognitive and behavioral impairment are common in children living with perinatally acquired HIV (pHIV) and children exposed to HIV in utero but uninfected (HEU). Methods We sought to determine the prevalence of adverse behavioral symptomatology using a Thai-translated and validated version of the SNAP-IV questionnaire and assess cognitive function utilizing the Children's Color Trails Test, Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System, and the Wechsler Intelligence Scales, in our cohort of Thai adolescents (10–20 years old) with well-controlled pHIV compared to HEU and HIV-unexposed, uninfected youth. We then evaluated the interaction between HIV status, behavioral impairment, and executive function outcomes independent of demographic variables. Results After controlling for demographic factors of age and household income, adolescents with pHIV had higher inattentive symptomatology and poorer neuropsychological test scores compared to uninfected controls. Significant interactions were found between inattention and executive function across multiple neurocognitive tests. Conclusions Behavioral impairment and poor executive functioning are present in adolescents with well-controlled pHIV compared to HIV-uninfected matched peers. The SNAP-IV questionnaire may be a useful tool to identify those with attentional impairment who may benefit from further cognitive testing in resource-limited settings.

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Amankwah-Poku ◽  
Delight Abla Klutsey ◽  
Kwaku Oppong Asante

Abstract Background The prevalence of disclosure of status to children living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is low in most sub-Saharan African countries, leading to poor compliance and adverse psychological outcomes in these children. This study examined the influence of disclosure on health outcomes in children living with HIV and their caregivers. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, 155 HIV-positive children between age 6–15 years and their caregivers were administered standardized questionnaires measuring adherence to medication, children's psychological well-being, caregiver burden, and caregivers’ psychological health. Results Results indicated that only 33.5% of the children sampled knew their status. Disclosure of HIV status was significantly related to medication adherence, psychological wellbeing, the burden of caregiving, and the length of the disclosure. A child’s age and level of education were the only demographic variables that significantly predicted disclosure of HIV status. In a hierarchical analysis, after controlling for all demographic variables medication adherence, psychological well-being and burden of caregiving were found to be significant predictors of disclosure of status in children living with HIV. Conclusions Findings suggest the need for disclosure of status among children living with HIV for a positive impact on their medication adherence and psychological health. These findings underscore the need for the development of context-specific interventions that will guide and encourage disclosure of status by caregivers to children living with HIV.


2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 826-833 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Farnsworth ◽  
Lucas Dargo ◽  
Brian G. Ragan ◽  
Minsoo Kang

Objective:  Although widely used, computerized neurocognitive tests (CNTs) have been criticized because of low reliability and poor sensitivity. A systematic review was published summarizing the reliability of Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) scores; however, this was limited to a single CNT. Expansion of the previous review to include additional CNTs and a meta-analysis is needed. Therefore, our purpose was to analyze reliability data for CNTs using meta-analysis and examine moderating factors that may influence reliability. Data Sources:  A systematic literature search (key terms: reliability, computerized neurocognitive test, concussion) of electronic databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Scholar, and SPORTDiscus) was conducted to identify relevant studies. Study Selection:  Studies were included if they met all of the following criteria: used a test-retest design, involved at least 1 CNT, provided sufficient statistical data to allow for effect-size calculation, and were published in English. Data Extraction:  Two independent reviewers investigated each article to assess inclusion criteria. Eighteen studies involving 2674 participants were retained. Intraclass correlation coefficients were extracted to calculate effect sizes and determine overall reliability. The Fisher Z transformation adjusted for sampling error associated with averaging correlations. Moderator analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of the length of the test-retest interval, intraclass correlation coefficient model selection, participant demographics, and study design on reliability. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Cochran Q statistic. Data Synthesis:  The proportion of acceptable outcomes was greatest for the Axon Sports CogState Test (75%) and lowest for the ImPACT (25%). Moderator analyses indicated that the type of intraclass correlation coefficient model used significantly influenced effect-size estimates, accounting for 17% of the variation in reliability. Conclusions:  The Axon Sports CogState Test, which has a higher proportion of acceptable outcomes and shorter test duration relative to other CNTs, may be a reliable option; however, future studies are needed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of these instruments.


Author(s):  
Savannah K H Siew ◽  
Madeline F Y Han ◽  
Rathi Mahendran ◽  
Junhong Yu

Abstract Objective The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) is widely used in research and clinical settings. However, little is known about the use of the CANTAB in the local aging context. This study aimed to develop normative data for various CANTAB measures in community-living older adults in Singapore. Normative data were built using the regression-based approach. A secondary aim was to examine the concurrent validity of CANTAB measures with their traditional neurocognitive test counterparts. Method A total of 210 older adults (Mage = 67.27 years, SD = 5.45) from an existing cohort study completed standard neurocognitive tests and a CANTAB battery. A total of 160 were normal aging, 46 diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and one diagnosed with Dementia. Older adults with MCI and Dementia were not included in the calculation of norms but were included in other analyses. For the CANTAB battery, regression-based norms were generated for each CANTAB measure, with age, sex, and education included as covariates. Concurrent validity was examined by correlating the CANTAB measures with their traditional neurocognitive counterparts. Results As expected, performance across most CANTAB measures declined significantly with increasing age and decreasing education levels. There were no significant effects of sex on most CANTAB measures. Our study also showed that some CANTAB measures demonstrated good concurrent validity as they significantly correlated with their traditional neurocognitive test counterparts. Conclusions We have developed age, sex, and education-specific CANTAB norms for use in the local aging context. The advantages and challenges of using the CANTAB in the local aging context are discussed.


2020 ◽  
pp. 135910532096227
Author(s):  
Hannah Deakin ◽  
Graham Frize ◽  
Caroline Foster ◽  
Michael Evangeli

HIV-related stressors affecting young adults with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV+) and their siblings include parental and sibling ill-health and death, own ill-health, HIV disclosure, and stigma. Young people with PHIV+ typically share their HIV status with family members. We explored sibling relationships in young people with PHIV+. Ten participants (six females, 17–23 years old) with PHIV+ took part in a semi-structured interview, analysed using Grounded Theory. The data were condensed into three theoretical codes: (1) HIV disclosure in sibling relationship; (2) Patterns of communication about HIV between siblings; and (3) Patterns of coping and support in sibling relationship.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 914-914
Author(s):  
S Kamarsu ◽  
L Campbell ◽  
E paolillo ◽  
T Filip ◽  
J Swendsen ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective There is a need to identify determinants of neurocognitive impairment among older persons living with HIV (PLHIV). Utilizing smartphone-based Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) and mobile cognitive testing, we examined the relationships between daily life activities and real-world neurocognitive performance among older PLHIV and HIV-uninfected adults. Method Ninety-one participants (58 PLHIV; Mage = 59.4, SD = 6.4), 70.3% male, 65.9% non-Hispanic white, completed four smartphone-based EMA surveys of daily activities and one mobile color-word interference test (mCWIT) per day for 14 days. Daily activities were grouped into five categories: activities of daily living (ADLs, IADLs), cognitively demanding activities, socially-engaging activities, physical activity (PA), and passive leisure activity (watching TV). Data was collapsed across the 14 days to examine between-person effects of the proportion of time reportedly spent on each activity on neurocognitive outcomes (the average correct responses and completion time for the mCWIT). Results No effect was found for engaging in activities by HIV status; however, PLHIV had significantly longer times on the mCWIT compared to persons without HIV (t = 2.49; 95% CI: 0.60, 5.37; p = 0.02). In a multivariable regression model accounting for HIV status, a greater proportion of time spent watching TV was associated with slower average mCWIT performance (beta = 9.41; 95% CI: 1.88,17.0; p = 0.01). There were no relationships between other domains of daily life activities and mCWIT performance. Conclusion Our findings provide evidence that more time spent watching TV is associated with slower mCWIT performance. Future work examining the time-lagged relationships between these variables is needed to understand whether watching TV decreases real-time neurocognitive performance.


2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 162-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia M. Bourke ◽  
Richard J. Porter ◽  
Patrick Sullivan ◽  
Cynthia M. Bulik ◽  
Frances A. Carter ◽  
...  

Background:In bulimia nervosa (BN), borderline personality disorder (BPD) and major depression (MDD) are frequently comorbid conditions. Executive function has been found to be impaired in BPD and MDD, but the impact of comorbidity on neuropsychological function has rarely been investigated.Objective:To investigate neuropsychological function in BN with a focus on comorbid BPD and MDD.Methods:One hundred forty-four medication-free female patients entering a study of psychological treatments for BN performed a brief battery of neuropsychological tests. Comorbid MDD and BPD were systematically identified using standard interviews. Neuropsychological test results were compared.Results:Forty-one subjects had comorbid BPD and 35 had comorbid MDD, while 15 had both. There was no effect of comorbid MDD, but there was a significant effect of BPD and a significant interaction between the diagnosis of MDD and BPD on executive tasks (trail making and Stroop). Thus, compared with subjects without BPD, subjects with BPD performed significantly worse on tests of executive function, while the group with both comorbidities performed even worse.Conclusions:There appears to be an additive effect of BPD and MDD resulting in impaired executive neuropsychological function. Future studies on either disorder and on BN should examine and account for the effect of comorbidity.


Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Narimani ◽  
Samad Esmaeilzadeh ◽  
Liane B. Azevedo ◽  
Akbar Moradi ◽  
Behrouz Heidari ◽  
...  

Background and objectives: To explore the association between weight status and executive function in young adults. Materials and Methods: Ninety-seven young males (age 17–26 years) underwent adiposity and body composition measurements using body composition analyzer. Inhibitory control and working memory were measured using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Battery (CANTAB). Results: Multiple linear regression using both unadjusted and adjusted analyses revealed no association between adiposity and body composition variables with executive tasks, apart from a significant association between skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and mean reaction time on go trial (standardized B = -0.28; p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) revealed that underweight participants presented inferior working memory compared to their normal weight (p = 0.001) or overweight peers (p = 0.008). However, according to the percentage fat quartiles (Q) participants with the highest quartile (Q4) were inferior in inhibitory control than their peers with Q2 (p = 0.04), and participants with the lowest quartile (Q1) were inferior in working memory compared with their peers with Q2 (p = 0.01) or Q3 (p = 0.02). A worse inhibitory control was observed for participants with the highest fat/SMM (Q4) compared to participants in Q3 (p = 0.03), and in contrast worse working memory was observed for participants with the lowest fat/SMM (Q1) compared to participants in Q2 (p = 0.04) or Q3 (p = 0.009). Conclusions: Low adiposity is associated with worse working memory, whereas high adiposity is associated with worse inhibitory control. Therefore, our findings show that normal adiposity, but greater SMM may have a positive impact on executive function in young adults.


Neurology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (10) ◽  
pp. e984-e994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriano Chiò ◽  
Cristina Moglia ◽  
Antonio Canosa ◽  
Umberto Manera ◽  
Rosario Vasta ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo assess the association of the degree of severity of motor impairment to that of cognitive impairment in a large cohort of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).MethodsThis is a population-based cross-sectional study on patients with ALS incident in Piemonte, Italy, between 2007 and 2015. Cognitive status was classified according to the revised ALS–FTD Consensus Criteria. The King system and the Milano Torino Staging system (MiToS) were used for defining the severity of motor impairment.ResultsOf the 797 patients included in the study, 163 (20.5%) had ALS–frontotemporal dementia (FTD), 38 (4.8%) cognitive and behavioral impairment (ALScbi), 132 (16.6%) cognitive impairment (ALSci), 63 (7.9%) behavioral impairment (ALSbi), 16 (2.0%) nonexecutive impairment, and 385 (48.2%) were cognitively normal. According to King staging, the frequency of cases with ALS-FTD progressively increased from 16.5% in stage 1–44.4% in stage 4; conversely, the frequency of ALSci, ALSbi, and ALScbi increased from King stage 1 to King stage 3 and decreased thereafter. A similar pattern was observed with the MiToS staging. ALS-FTD was more frequent in patients with bulbar involvement at time of cognitive testing. Patients with C9ORF72 expansion (n = 61) showed more severe cognitive impairment with increasing King and MiToS stages.ConclusionOur findings suggest that ALS motor and cognitive components may worsen in parallel, and that cognitive impairment becomes more pronounced when bulbar function is involved. Our data support the hypothesis that ALS pathology disseminates in a regional ordered sequence, through a cortico-efferent spreading model.


Author(s):  
BB Magnusdottir ◽  
HM Haraldsson ◽  
E Sigurdsson

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to construct regression-based norms for 3 executive-function tests: the Trail Making Test, Stroop, and Verbal Fluency. Method A sample of 1,034 healthy Icelandic adults (18–64 years) was used to calculate predicted scores for test measures from all 3 tests, controlled for the effects of age, gender, and education, as well as the interaction between these variables. Results The 3 demographic variables showed significant effects on most test measures and were included in the final equation for estimating predicted scores. An older age and less education predicted worse cognitive performances in most cases, and women tended to outperform men. Conclusion These results highlight the importance of adjusting for age, gender, and educational level when constructing normative data. Controlling for age alone may be insufficient or misleading in clinical-practice settings. A simple, user-friendly program for predicting executive-function test scores is provided.


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