Language and executive function of clinical stage-1 HIV patients in an industrial scenario: Extent and implication

Asymptomatic and mild form of the neurocognitive disorder in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus infection is still prevalent and a chief problem worldwide although the severity of the neurocognitive complications is decreasing after the introduction of combined highly active antiretroviral therapy.

To study language and executive dysfunction of HIV patients in Clinical Stage 1 in an industrial scenario in Western Maharashtra as compared to healthy controls.

The Wisconsin card sorting test and Addenbrooke cognitive scale were done to check for executive function and language, respectively, and compared to age- and gender-matched HIV-negative controls.

Both the results of the WCST and Addenbrooke cognitive scale showed a decline in scores in the cases as compared to the controls overall. The distribution of cases as per the gender showed no significant difference, whereas there was a significant difference as per the age.

In asymptomatic HIV patients, there is a decline in executive function and language as compared to the healthy controls. As most of the individuals were employed, there is a need to assess their neurocognitive function regularly as the progress of the illness can be monitored and cognitive training can be advised in these HIV-positive patients, which will not only benefit the individuals but the industrial sector in the long run as well.