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Published on: January 12, 2016
Structural gray and white matter changes in patients with HIV
Michael Küper1, K Rabe, S Esser
1Department of Neurology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122, Essen, Germany. michael.kueper@uni-due.de
Journal of Neurology
|January 6, 2011
Summary
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed gray and white matter atrophy in HIV-positive individuals, particularly in those with cognitive deficits. Brain structure changes correlated with disease duration, motor symptoms, and CD4 cell count.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- HIV infection can lead to neurological complications, including cognitive deficits and motor dysfunction.
- Understanding the structural brain changes associated with HIV is crucial for managing HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate structural gray and white matter changes in HIV-positive patients using MRI-based voxel-based morphometry (VBM).
- To correlate these structural changes with cognitive deficits, disease duration, motor dysfunction, and CD4 cell counts.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study utilizing MRI-based VBM analysis.
- Comparison of 48 HIV-positive patients (28 with cognitive deficits, 20 without) and 48 age/sex-matched HIV-negative controls.
- Clinical assessments included HIV Dementia Scale (HDS), UPDRS, and grooved pegboard test.
Main Results:
- HIV-positive patients with cognitive deficits showed gray matter reduction in anterior cingulate/temporal cortices and white matter loss in the midbrain.
- Structural changes were more pronounced with increasing cognitive decline.
- Prefrontal gray matter atrophy correlated with longer disease duration; basal ganglia atrophy with motor dysfunction; occipital gray matter loss with lower CD4 counts.
Conclusions:
- HIV is associated with atrophy in nigro-striatal and fronto-striatal circuits.
- Observed atrophy patterns align with motor dysfunction and dysexecutive syndrome in HAND.
- VBM is a valuable tool for detecting and understanding brain changes in HIV.
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