Alcohol abuse and HIV infection have additive effects on frontal cortex function as measured by auditory evoked potential P3A latency

摘要: Both alcohol and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have been shown to produce central nervous system (CNS) morbidity in frontal brain regions. The degree which the CNS HIV infection, as it affects cortex function, may be preferentially increased by abuse was examined using auditory P3A evoked potential. indexes an orienting response, maximal over that occurs when novel nontarget stimuli are presented midst of a target detection paradigm. Four groups subjects were compared: HIV+ abusers, light/nondrinkers, HIV− light/non-drinkers. abuser light/nondrinker matched on percent CD4 lymphocytes, insuring results reflected specific effects not result differences between systemic immune suppression. Alcohol had at least additive latency, consistent with worsening effect disease function. Post-hoc analyses suggested concomitant latency becoming manifest earlier process.