[Neuropsychiatric performance of HIV-infected patients]

Can neuropsychic impairment which is clinically observed in the case of HIV-infected patients be objectivized, and what is the relationship to somatic features caused by the disease?

65 HIV-infected men with no history of drug-addiction were examined by means of a test battery which monitored the functions memory/concentration and speed of response. The probands were then compared to a healthy control group which was parallelized with respect to age, sex and education. Immune status, HIV and AIDS associated symptoms as well as educational diseases were checked for their connection with neuropsychic impairment.

Compared to healthy persons HIV patients presented significant deficits with respect to memory and concentration but showed no reduction of speed of response. Significant correlation could be determined with only one somatic feature: Half of the patients who had lost more than 10% of their body weight during the preceding three months suffered from clinically relevant memory and concentration disorders.

1. The massive memory and concentration disorders impair and isolate the patients and can have considerable job-related consequences. 2. Measures preventing loss of weight should be initiated as early as possible. 3. Training sessions, e.g. nutritional consultation, must take the patients' deficits with respect to concentration and memory into consideration. 4. Possible connections between loss of weight and changes in brain metabolism should be examined. 5. Future studies should determine whether measures weight increase coincide with an improvement of memory and concentration.