Lasting Effects of Alcohol on Cognitive Function in HIV Infection

The long-term
effects of heavy alcohol use on cognitive function in people infected
with HIV have not been well characterized. To better understand
these effects, researchers studied 50 gay or bisexual men with
HIV (21 who also had past alcohol abuse or dependence) and 30 without
HIV (12 who had past alcohol abuse or dependence). None of the
participants had current abuse or dependence.

Measures assessed various neuropsychological functions (e.g., verbal, visual,
memory) and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Overall cognitive impairment
did not differ significantly between those with and without HIV. However, men
with past alcohol abuse or dependence, compared with those without, showed
cognitive impairment on a significantly greater number of measures (impairment
on a mean of 5 measures for those with past abuse/dependence and HIV; 3.8 measures
for those with past abuse/dependence without HIV; 3.5 for those without past
abuse/dependence but with HIV; and 2.9 for those with neither past abuse/dependence
nor HIV).

Comments:

This study’s
strength is its detailed assessments of participants. However, given
its small sample size, researchers could not adjust for factors that
could have explained the association between past alcohol use disorders
and cognitive impairment. Nonetheless, the findings suggest that the
association between alcohol abuse or dependence and cognitive dysfunction
in HIV-infected men is particularly pronounced.

Richard
Saitz, MD, MPH

Reference:

Green JE, Saveanu RV,
Bornstein RA. The effect of previous alcohol abuse on cognitive function
in HIV infection. Am J Psychiatry. 2004;161(2):249–254.
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abstract)