Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026
05:53
Measuring Frailty in HIV-infected Individuals. Identification of Frail Patients is the First Step to Amelioration and Reversal of Frailty
Published on: July 24, 2013
Longitudinal change in cognitive function and medication adherence in HIV-infected adults.
Brian W Becker1, April D Thames, Ellen Woo
1Neuropsychology Lab, VA Greater Los Angeles Health Care System, CA 90073, USA. brian.becker@va.gov
AIDS and Behavior
|March 26, 2011
Summary
Declines in neuropsychological (NP) functioning are linked to reduced medication adherence in adults with HIV. Monitoring cognitive changes is crucial for identifying individuals at risk of poor adherence.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Infectious Diseases
- Psychology
Background:
- Neuropsychological (NP) dysfunction is associated with medication non-adherence in HIV-infected adults.
- Limited research exists on longitudinal changes in the NP status-adherence relationship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how longitudinal changes in NP functioning affect medication adherence rates in HIV-infected adults.
- To test the hypothesis that declining NP functioning correlates with decreased adherence, while stable NP functioning correlates with stable or improved adherence.
Main Methods:
- 215 HIV-infected adults completed cognitive testing at baseline and six months.
- Medication adherence rates were assessed over the study period.
- Statistical analyses compared adherence changes between NP stable and NP decline groups.
Main Results:
- The NP decline group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in medication adherence compared to the NP stable group.
- Cognitive domains, particularly learning and memory, were significantly associated with changes in adherence rates, beyond global NP status.
- These findings highlight the dynamic interplay between cognitive health and treatment adherence.
Conclusions:
- Longitudinal NP decline is a predictor of reduced medication adherence in HIV-infected adults.
- Assessing changes in cognitive function, especially learning and memory, is vital for identifying patients at risk of adherence issues.
- These insights can inform targeted interventions to improve medication adherence and health outcomes in this population.
Related Concept Videos
02:20Longitudinal Research
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
01:26Longitudinal Studies
Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
01:29Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Affecting Factors
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) is the clinical practice of measuring specific drug levels in a patient's blood or body tissues to manage and optimize therapy. TDM is crucial for drugs with narrow therapeutic windows, like warfarin and phenytoin, where incorrect doses can lead to treatment failure or severe side effects. This monitoring ensures the dosage administered is within a safe and effective range. The factors affecting therapeutic drug monitoring include:Patient-Specific Factors:a.
01:27Cryptococcal Meningitis
Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...