White-Matter damage in Clade C HIV-positive subjects: a diffusion tensor imaging study.

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Cognitive impairment is a known complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
• The specific impact of HIV clade C on white-matter integrity and its relation to cognitive function is not well-established.
• White-matter damage can underlie neurological deficits observed in HIV.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between cognitive impairment and white-matter integrity in individuals with HIV clade C.
• To compare white-matter integrity between HIV-infected individuals and seronegative controls using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

Main Methods:

• Utilized diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to assess white-matter integrity.
• Conducted a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation in 44 HIV-infected individuals and 10 seronegative controls.
• Employed a whole-brain, voxel-based approach to analyze fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusion (MD).

Main Results:

• HIV-infected individuals showed significantly decreased FA in key white-matter tracts, including the corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and cingulum.
• These regions are critical for cognitive processing and inter-hemispheric communication.
• Reduced FA indicates compromised white-matter integrity.

Conclusions:

• White-matter integrity is demonstrably compromised in individuals infected with HIV clade C.
• The observed white-matter changes likely contribute to cognitive impairment in this population.
• Findings highlight the importance of monitoring neurological health in HIV-infected individuals, particularly those with clade C.