Semantic Cueing Improves Category Verbal Fluency in Persons Living With HIV Infection

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Jennifer E. Iudicello, University of California, San Diego; Emily J. Kellogg, University of California, San Diego; Erica Weber, University of California, San Diego; Christine Smith, University of California, San Diego; Igor Grant, University of California, San Diego; Daniel L Drane, Emory University; Steven Paul Woods, University of California, San Diego
• Language: English
• Date: 2012-03-01
• Publisher: American Psychiatric Publishing
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2012 American Psychiatric Association.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.11100301
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
• ISSN: 0895-0172
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: 183
• End Page: 190
• Grant/Funding Information: This research was supported by National Institutes of Health grants R01-MH073419 and T32-DA031098 to Dr. Woods; P30-MH62512 to Dr. Grant; and K23 NSO49100 to Dr. Drane (which included the development of several cued and uncued category fluency paradigms).
• Keywords: FRONTAL-LOBE; DEPENDENCE; Neurosciences & Neurology; ADULTS; Science & Technology; HIV/AIDS; DISEASE; Neurosciences; RECALL; NEUROCOGNITIVE DISORDERS; NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL IMPAIRMENT; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Clinical Neurology; Psychiatry; GENERATION
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Mental Health; Biology, Neuroscience; Biology, Virology

Abstract

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remain highly prevalent in the era of combination antiretroviral therapies, but there are no validated psychological interventions aimed at improving cognitive outcomes. This study sought to determine the potential benefit of semantic cueing on category fluency deficits, which are prevalent in HIV and affect daily functioning. A group of 86 HIV-infected individuals and 87 demographically-matched seronegative participants were administered a standard (i.e., uncued) and a cued category fluency task. Results revealed significant improvements in cued versus uncued performance in HIV, particularly for persons with lower levels of education. The cueing benefit observed may inform rehabilitation efforts aimed at ameliorating HAND.