Objective memory as an indicator of functional impairment in native Spanish-speaking patients with HIV infection

ABSTRACT

Objective memory is one of the most affected cognitive areas in patients with HIV and perhaps one of the best predictors of daily functioning problems. Its relationship with biological markers, mood symptoms, and cognitive complaint is unclear and has received little attention in native Spanish-speakers. The goal of this study is to explore the relationships between the above-mentioned variables and their prediction of objective memory performance in native Spanish-speakers. HIV-related biological markers, mood symptoms, cognitive complaint, and objective memory were assessed in a sample native Spanish-speaking HIV patient with possible cognitive impairment. The results revealed deficit in short- and long-term memory while recognition was retained. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the combination of independent variables significantly predicted performance in recognition, indicating that the pattern of impairment in short- and long-term memory is related to a difficulty to learn new information discriminately. The non-prediction of short- and long-term memory performance may be related to the inability to estimate the deficit in objective memory. These results show the need to perform specific interventions in mnesic processes, in view of the relation between this cognitive process and patients’ daily functioning.

KEYWORDS:

• Memory disorders
• HIV
• mood disorders
• biological markers
• cognition disorders

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the patients who participated in the study and all the clinicians and workers from Unit of Infectious Diseases of the University Clinical Hospital of Puerto Real (Cádiz), in specially Unit's director in the time of the research Dr. Antonio Vergara de Campos, and the Hogar GERASA, who made this research possible. EVM and MPG designed the study. AGT participated in the assessment protocols design and administration. AGA, JJFM and MPG conducted statistical analyses. EVM, AGT and AGA developed a first draft. All the authors contributed to the interpretation of the data, commented on the draft, and approved the final version.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Esperanza Vergara-Moragues http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2669-631X

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by grants: REF 14_0141 from GILEAD SPAIN in 2014.