Semantic Memory in HIV-associated Neurocognitive Disorders: An Evaluation of the "Cortical" Versus "Subcortical" Hypothesis.

OBJECTIVE

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) have historically been characterized as a subcortical condition that does not affect semantic memory; however, recent evidence suggests that the cortical regions that support semantic memory may be affected in HIV.

METHOD

The current study examined the effects of HAND on semantic memory in 85 HIV+ individuals with HAND, 193 HIV+ individuals without HAND, and 181 HIV- individuals who completed the Boston Naming Test (BNT) and the Famous Faces subtest of the Kauffman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test (KAIT-FF).

RESULTS

Linear regressions revealed a significant adverse effect of HAND on total scores on the BNT and the KAIT-FF (all ps < .01). Analyses of BNT errors showed that individuals with HAND committed more semantically related errors as compared to the other two study groups (all ps < .05). However, there were no group differences in rates of visually based errors, which are more commonly observed in traditional subcortical diseases (all ps > .10).

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate that HAND may impose adverse effects on individuals' object naming and identification abilities suggestive of mild semantic deficits that parallel traditional cortical diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.