Brain function abnormalities and inflammation in HIV-positive men who have sex with men with depressive disorders

Depressive disorders are highly prevalent among people with HIV (PWH) and are related to aberrant inflammation and immune responses. However, there is currently a lack of investigation into the neurological, inflammatory, endocrine, and immune aspects of HIV-associated depressive disorders (HADD).

The study involved 33 HIV-positive men who have sex with men with depressive disorders (HADD group) and 47 without neuropsychiatric disorders (HIV control group). Participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans and assessments of peripheral blood. Peripheral blood cytokines, plasma concentrations of hormone and neurotrophic factors, and immune cell levels were determined using liquid chip, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. The correlation of imaging alterations with clinical variables and peripheral blood indicators was assessed.

Compared to the HIV control group, the HADD group exhibited a higher fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in the left superior parietal gyrus, lower regional homogeneity in the left precentral gyrus, and reduced voxel-wise functional connectivity for the seed region in the right precentral gyrus with clusters in the right cuneus, etc. Furthermore, the HADD group had higher levels of interferon-gamma, a higher frequency of non-classical monocytes, and higher expression levels of perforin and CD38 on specific cells. These imaging results were significantly correlated with peripheral blood indicators and clinical variables.

This rs-fMRI study provides considerable evidence for abnormal intrinsic brain activity in people with HADD. Furthermore, our data also indicate the detrimental effects of depression-related inflammation on PWH. Therefore, it is imperative to increase attention to HADD and implement effective preventive interventions accordingly.