Cognitive and affective disorders associated to HIV infection in the HAART era: findings from the NeuroICONA study

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Abstract
Objective: To assess the natural story of HIV‐associated affective and cognitive disorders and the relationship with clinical, pharmacological, immunological and behavioural factors. Method: A total of 395 HIV‐positive patients, naive to Highly Active Antirectroviral therapy (HAART), with no severe psychiatric disorders have been enrolled in the Neuro‐ICONA Study. All participants were administered a comprehensive data collection instrument including an addiction behaviour survey, a medical problem list, a psychiatric assessment, a validated neuropsychological test battery. Results: The global prevalence of cognitive impairment and of prominent depressive symptomatology were 17.9 and 15.5%, respectively. A significant difference in the prevalence of prominent depressive symptomatology was observed between patients in HAART and those not taking HAART(14.1 vs. 23.8%; P=0.05). Conclusion: Depressive and cognitive disorders affect a substantial proportion of HIV‐seropositive subjects. The prevalence of prominent depressive symptomatology appears to significantly vary in relationship to the therapeutic protocol.