Conference Reports for NATAP

First International Workshop on HIV and Aging October 4-5, 2010 Baltimore, MD Back

Family History of Dementia Predicts Worse Neuropsych Function With HIV (dementia defined below)       First International Workshop on HIV and Aging, October 4-5, 2010, Baltimore Mark Mascolini HIV-infected people with a family history of dementia had worse neuropsychological test results than HIV-infected people without such a history in an 1100-person US study [1]. But family history of dementia did not discriminate between neuropsychological function in HIV-positive people under 40 years old versus those over 50. Among people without HIV, dementia is more likely to develop in those with a family history of dementia, but the impact of family history had not been studied in people with HIV until this analysis. Although incidence (new diagnoses) of HIV-associated dementia dropped after the advent of triple antiretroviral therapy, mild neurocognitive disorders and asymptomatic neuropsychological impairment remain common in people with HIV. The impact of rising longevity on rates of neurocognitive disorders in people with HIV is a topic of ongoing study. CHARTER group investigators planned this study to address three questions: (1) Does a family history of dementia boost the risk of neuropsychological impairment in people with HIV? (2) If so, in which neuropsychological domains? (3) Does the impact of a family history of dementia differ between HIV-positive people under 40 and those 50 or older? The study involved 1104 people who self-reported whether any first- or second-degree relatives had dementia. People unable to answer questions about family history were excluded from the analysis. Study participants completed the CHARTER neuropsychological test battery, which assesses verbal fluency, executive functioning, speed of information processing, learning, recall, working memory, and motor skills. The investigators converted raw test scores into T scores corrected for age, gender, education, and (when possible) race. Then they figured global deficit scores and domain deficit scores ranging from 0 to 5. A score of 0 is normal, and 0.5 or greater indicates global neuropsychological impairment or domain-specific impairment. While 914 people (83%) reported no family history of dementia, 190 did. People with versus without a family history did not differ much in average age (43.6 and 43.3), education (12.9 years and 12.5), gender (73% and 78% men), proportion with HCV coinfection (23% and 28%), lowest-ever CD4 count (216 and 200), or viral load in plasma (2.2 and 2.4 log) or cerebrospinal fluid (1.7 log in both). A higher proportion of people with a family history of dementia were Caucasian (49% versus 36%), and current CD4 count was higher in people with a family history (498 versus 443). The global deficit score was significantly worse in people with a family history of dementia, though under 0.6 in both groups (P < 0.05). Dividing study participants into young, middle-aged, and old showed that neuropsychological performance remained worse in people with a family history than in those without regardless of age (about 0.6 versus 0.5 in all three age groups). The three forms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disease (HAND) combined were more prevalent in people with a family history of dementia (P < 0.01). But pairwise comparisons within each of the three HAND subgroups--asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment, mild neurocognitive disorder, and HIV-associated dementia--revealed no significant difference according to family history of dementia. People with a family history of dementia had significantly worse neuropsychological impairment in two domains--executive functioning and motor skills. The CHARTER team concluded that a family history of dementia may be a risk factor for development of HAND. The investigators suggested that failure of family history to differentiate between neuropsychological performance according to age could point to "possible genetic susceptibility to HAND development regardless of age." Reference 1. Moore DJ, Arce M, Moseley S, et al. The influence of family history of dementia on neuropsychological functioning among HIV-infected persons across the lifespan. First International Workshop on HIV and Aging. October 4-5, 2010. Baltimore. Abstract LB_03. DEMENTIA what is it? Overview Dementia is a loss of brain function that occurs with certain diseases. It affects memory, thinking, language, judgment, and behavior. See also: Alzheimer's disease Symptoms Dementia symptoms include difficulty with many areas of mental function, including: · Language · Memory · Perception · Emotional behavior or personality · Cognitive skills (such as calculation, abstract thinking, or judgment) Dementia usually first appears as forgetfulness. Mild cognitive impairment is the stage between normal forgetfulness due to aging and the development of dementia. People with MCI have mild problems with thinking and memory that do not interfere with everyday activities. They are often aware of the forgetfulness. Not everyone with MCI develops dementia. Symptoms of MCI include: · Forgetting recent events or conversations · Difficulty performing more than one task at a time · Difficulty solving problems · Taking longer to perform more difficult mental activities The early symptoms of dementia can include: · Language problems, such as trouble finding the name of familiar objects · Misplacing items · Getting lost on familiar routes · Personality changes and loss of social skills · Losing interest in things you previously enjoyed, flat mood · Difficulty performing tasks that take some thought, but that used to come easily, such as balancing a checkbook, playing games (such as bridge), and learning new information or routines As the dementia becomes worse, symptoms are more obvious and interfere with the ability to take care of yourself. The symptoms may include: · Forgetting details about current events · Forgetting events in your own life history, losing awareness of who you are · Change in sleep patterns, often waking up at night · More difficulty reading or writing · Poor judgment and loss of ability to recognize danger · Using the wrong word, not pronouncing words correctly, speaking in confusing sentences · Withdrawing from social contact · Having hallucinations, arguments, striking out, and violent behavior · Having delusions, depression, agitation · Difficulty doing basic tasks, such as preparing meals, choosing proper clothing, or driving People with severe dementia can no longer: · Understand language · Recognize family members · Perform basic activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, and bathing Other symptoms that may occur with dementia: · Incontinence · Swallowing problems Treatment For inforation on how to take care of a loved one with dementia, see: Dementia - home care The goal of treatment is to control the symptoms of dementia. Treatment depends on the condition causing the dementia. Some people may need to stay in the hospital for a short time. Stopping or changing medications that make confusion worse may improve brain function. There is growing evidence that some kinds of mental exercises can help dementia. Treating conditions that can lead to confusion often greatly improve mental functioning. Such conditions include: · Anemia · Decreased oxygen (hypoxia) · Depression · Heart failure · Infections · Nutritional disorders · Thyroid disorders Medications may be needed to control behavior problems caused by a loss of judgement, increased impulsivity, and confusion. Possible medications include: · Antipsychotics (haloperidol, risperdal, olanzapine) · Mood stabilizers (fluoxetine, imipramine, citalopram) · Serotonin-affecting drugs (trazodone, buspirone) · Stimulants (methylphenidate) Certain drugs may be used to slow the rate at which symptoms worsen. The benefit from these drugs is often small, and patients and their families may not always notice much of a change. · Donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), galantamine (Razadyne, formerly called Reminyl) · Memantine (Namenda) A person's eyes and ears should be checked regularly. Hearing aids, glasses, or cataract surgery may be needed. Psychotherapy or group therapy usually does not help because it may cause more confusion. Causes Most types of dementia are nonreversible (degenerative). Nonreversible means the changes in the brain that are causing the dementia cannot be stopped or turned back. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. Lewy body disease is a leading cause of dementia in elderly adults. People with this condition have abnormal protein structures in certain areas of the brain. Dementia also can be due to many small strokes. This is called vascular dementia. The following medical conditions also can lead to dementia: · Parkinson's disease · Multiple sclerosis · Huntington's disease · Pick's disease · Progressive supranuclear palsy · Infections that can affect the brain, such as HIV/AIDS and Lyme disease Some causes of dementia may be stopped or reversed if they are found soon enough, including: · Brain tumors · Changes in blood sugar, sodium, and calcium levels (see: Dementia due to metabolic causes) · Low vitamin B12 levels · Normal pressure hydrocephalus · Use of certain medications, including cimetadine and some cholesterol-lowering medications · Chronic alcohol abuse Dementia usually occurs in older age. It is rare in people under age 60. The risk for dementia increases as a person gets older. Tests & diagnosis Dementia can often be diagnosed with a history and physical exam by a skilled doctor or nurse. A health care provider will take a history, do a physical exam (including a neurological exam), and perform some tests of mental function called a mental status examination. The health care provider may order tests to help determine whether other problems could be causing dementia or making it worse. These conditions include: · Thyroid disease · Vitamin deficiency · Brain tumor · Intoxication from medications · Chronic infection · Anemia · Severe depression The following tests and procedures may be done: · B12 level · Blood ammonia levels · Blood chemistry (chem-20) · Blood gas analysis · Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis · Drug or alcohol levels (toxicology screen) · Tests for exposure to metals such as lead or arsenic · Electroencephalograph (EEG) · Glucose test · Head CT · Liver function tests · Mental status test · MRI of head · Serum calcium · Serum electrolytes · Thyroid function tests · Thyroid stimulating hormone level · Urinalysis Prognosis People with mild cognitive impairment do not always develop dementia. However, when dementia does occur, it usually gets worse and often decreases quality of life and lifespan. Prevention Most causes of dementia are not preventable. You can reduce the risk of vascular dementia, which is caused by a series of small strokes, by quitting smoking and controlling high blood pressure and diabetes. Eating a low-fat diet and exercising regularly may also reduce the risk of vascular dementia. Complications Complications depend on the cause of the dementia, but may include the following: · Abuse by an overstressed caregiver · Increased infections anywhere in the body · Loss of ability to function or care for self · Loss of ability to interact · Reduced lifespan · Side effects of medications used to treat the disorder · When to contact a doctor Call your health care provider if: · Dementia develops or a sudden change in mental status occurs · The condition of a person with dementia gets worse · You are unable to care for a person with dementia at home