Quantitative neurologic and neurobehavioral testing of persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1
A. Franzblau, R. Letz, D. Hershman, P. Mason, J. I. Wallace and J. G. Bekesi
Department of Environmental and Industrial Health, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor 48109-2029.
Assessment of neurobehavioral and peripheral neurologic performance among
homosexual men was made on two occasions, using a computer-administered
neurobehavioral instrument and quantitative vibration threshold testing,
respectively. Persons studied included high-risk human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV)-negative men (n = 13), asymptomatic HIV-positive men (n = 30),
and patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related complex
of AIDS (n = 17). In addition, subjects were characterized immunologically
at the time of neurologic and neuropsychologic assessment via determination
of circulating lymphocyte counts (total lymphocytes, helper T cells,
suppressor T cells, total T cells, activated T cells) and markers of HIV
type 1 (HIV-1) infection. At the first cycle of testing, the results of
asymptomatic HIV-positive men were indistinguishable from those of
HIV-negative men, while persons with AIDS-related complex or AIDS tended to
have lower mean performance. These differences did not achieve statistical
significance on any single test, but the group with AIDS-related complex or
AIDS had the worst mean performance on 12 of 13 individual performance
tests. Thirty-seven men underwent repeated testing after a mean interval of
approximately 4.5 months. There was little change in mean neurobehavioral
performance and vibratory thresholds among all three groups. Measures of
neurobehavioral performance and vibrotactile thresholds were not correlated
with measures of immunological status. These results are consistent with
the concept that asymptomatic infection with HIV-1 does not imply the
presence of measurable or significant neurologic or neurobehavioral
impairment.
