Nina Ventura MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Linda Douw, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Tania Maria Netto PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Diogo Goulart Correa MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Rafael Ferracini Cabral MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Bruce R. Rosen MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Research Consultant, Siemens AG

Emerson L. Gasparetto MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To evaluate resting-state functional connectivity and its correlation to neurocognitive impairment in patients with HIV.

In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated 19 HIV patients (14 males; 5 females; mean age 55.5 years; mean education 11.3 years) and 17 seronegative controls matched by sex, gender and education. The seropositive group included 9 HIV patients without neurocognitive disorder (HAND +) and 10 HIV patients with asymptomatic or mild neurocognitive disorder (HAND -). We used resting-state functional MRI to evaluate average connectivity, local clustering, within-module connectivity, and between-module connectivity of left and right posterior cingulate gyrus (PCC) and left and right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). A completed detailed neurospychological assessment was administered to evaluate executive functions, memory, attention, speed of information, motor skills and verbal language. The statistical analysis was performed assessing the correlation between connectivity among those areas and the neuropsychological tests results.

HAND + patients presented a lower (i.e. more normal) PCC clustering than HAND - patient (p value <0.005) and this result was related to poorer performance in attention neurocognitive tests (p value <0.005), whereas increased PCC clustering in HAND - patients was associated with better attention (p value <0.005). These differences are all corrected for age, sex, education, and motion in the scanner.

HAND + patients presented a connectivity pattern more similar to controls than HAND - patients, and those results presented an opposite correlation with the attention coefficient, suggesting a preserved cognitive functioning due to compensation.

Resting-state functional MRI could be used as a potential noninvasive biomarker for neurocognitive impairment in HIV infection.

Ventura, N, Douw, L, Netto, T, Correa, D, Cabral, R, Rosen, B, Gasparetto, E, Resting-state Functional Connectivity: A Potential Biomarker of Neurocognitive Impairment in HIV Patients.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14009518.html