Chronically elevated depressive symptoms interact with acute increases in inflammation to predict worse neurocognition among people with HIV

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Rowan Saloner, University of California San Diego; Emily W Paolillo, University of California San Diego; Robert K Heaton, University of California, San Diego; David J Grelotti, University of California, San Diego; Murray B Stein, University of California, San Diego; Andrew Miller, Emory University; Hampton J Atkinson, University of California, San Diego; Scott L Letendre, University of California, San Diego; Ronald J Ellis, University of California, San Diego; Igor Grant, University of California, San Diego; Jennifer E Iudicello, University of California, San Diego; David J Moore, University of California, San Diego
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-01-06
• Publisher: SPRINGER
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2021, Journal of NeuroVirology, Inc.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13365-020-00925-1
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: JOURNAL OF NEUROVIROLOGY
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 160
• End Page: 167
• Grant/Funding Information: NIA award F31AG064989 (stipend support to R.S.); the CNS HIV Anti-Retroviral Therapy Effects Research program (CHARTER; NIH HHSN271201000036C and HHSN271201000030C; NIAAA award F31AA027198 (stipend support to E.W.P.); the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center (HNRC; NIMH award P30MH062512
• Keywords: IMPAIRMENT; COGNITIVE DECLINE; Virology; Neurosciences & Neurology; Neurosciences; Science & Technology; Inflammation; ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE; Depression; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; C-reactive protein; CONNECTIVITY; Cognition; MARKERS; HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder; C-REACTIVE PROTEIN; Processing speed; BURDEN

Abstract

We examined the joint effects of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)) and systemic inflammation (plasma C-reactive protein (CRP)) on longitudinal profiles of neurocognition in a cohort of 143 people with HIV (PWH) on antiretroviral therapy. Global neurocognition, processing speed, motor skills, and attention/working memory all worsened as CRP increased but only among PWH who, on average, exhibited moderate to severe depressive symptoms (BDI-II > 22). Findings suggest that some PWH with chronically elevated depressive symptoms may have an inflammatory subtype of depression and a particular vulnerability to neurocognitive changes that may respond to drugs targeting inflammation or its neural sequelae.