Viral Load and Neuropsychological Functioning in HIV Seropositive Individuals:A Preliminary Descriptive Study

We have theorized a direct relationship between viral burden and deleterious effects on the central nervous systems. It was hypothesized that HIV+ individuals would manifest poorer neuropsychological functioning after increased viral load. To address this, we compared viral burden to neuropsychological performance in subjects who participated in ACTG 116-118. Plasma samples and neuropsychological assessments completed at the same time were available for 64 observations on 21 subjects. Subjects who had a viral peak of over 1000 TCID per ml were classified as high viral load, those who did not as low viral load. Mean performances of the high viral load subjects were poorer, even though baseline performances were slightly poorer in the low viral load group. Mean post-viral peak performances were poorer than pre-viral peak performances. Declines in neuropsychological performance were found significantly more often in the high viral load group. These findings support the viral load hypothesis.