Subtle cognitive decrements and psychological distress in men with asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection

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dc.contributor.authorStroup, Elizabeth Suzanneen_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-15T18:26:09Z
dc.date.available2024-08-15T18:26:09Z
dc.date.copyright1995en_US
dc.date.issued1995
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Psychology
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts M.A.en
dc.description.abstractThe presence of subtle neuropsychological decrements (primarily in verbal memory and psychomotor speed) associated with asymptomatic HIV infection has been documented in recent literature. As of yet, the mechanism or mechanisms responsible for these subtle deficits remains unclear. This paper examines the relationship be tween psychological distress and neuropsychological functioning in 140 asymptomatic HIV+ subjects and 82 HIV- controls. A factor analysis on results of a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery administered to all participants identified five factors. These factors were interpreted to reflect a participant's ability in physical reaction time, attention/speed of processing, verbal memory, motor speed/attention, and executive function. Results of multiple regression analyses indicated that differences in education level between groups accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in several cognitive domains, including reaction time, attention/speed of processing, verbal memory, and executive function. After accounting for education, psychological distress (as measured by the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised) was entered into the multiple regression equation, and was found to account for additional variance on measures of executive function and, to a lesser extent, attention/speed of processing. The last step of multiple regression in which group status was entered revealed that a significant portion of the variance on motor speed/attention was accounted for by group membership. In sum, differences between HIV+ and HIV- groups on measures of executive function and attention/speed of processing were mediated by psychological distress. Asymptomatic HIV+ subjects experienced greater levels of subjective distress, and performed more poorly on tasks requiring problem solving and the ability to concentrate and think quickly. These findings have implications for early intervention in HIV infection, which might reduce potentially disruptive psychological distress. Decrements on tests of motor speed in the HIV+ group were primarily due to HIV status. Possible explanations for this finding are suggested.en
dc.format.extent58 pages
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/19819
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.titleSubtle cognitive decrements and psychological distress in men with asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infectionen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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