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A new study by researchers,
published online in the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care,
demonstrates that cognitive training exercises can improve mental processing
speed and the ability to complete daily tasks in middle-age and older
individuals with HIV.
With more effective antiretroviral
therapies for HIV/AIDS that have evolved, the disease has shifted to more of a
chronic condition. As patients are living longer, research indicates they are
experiencing cognitive impairments at a higher rate than those without
HIV/AIDS.
The study’s lead author, David
Vance, Ph.D., associate professor at the UAB School of Nursing, associate
director of the UAB Center for Nursing Research, and scientist at the UAB
Edward R. Roybal Center for Research on Applied Gerontology, notes that more
than 25 percent of those living with HIV today are over the age of 50. In
addition, “30 to 60 percent of adults living with HIV experience cognitive
problems at some point in the illness, a condition known as ‘HIV-associated
neurocognitive disorders.’” He further states that it is extremely important to
address these problems as they occur since they can lead to difficulties in
functioning independently.
In the pilot study conducted at UAB,
46 middle-age and older individuals with HIV were randomly assigned to either
10 hours of computerized cognitive training or to no cognitive training. The
training involved “speed of processing,” referring to how quickly an individual
can automatically perform simple tasks such as absorbing information,
comprehending relationships, and developing reasonable conclusions that require
attention and concentration without having to think them through. Researchers measured
the cognitive function of the groups before and after the study. The group that
performed computer-based training demonstrated significant improvement in
visual processing speed and attention as well as timed instrumental activities
of daily living as opposed to the group that did not have the computer-based
training.
According to Ned Guiliano, CEO of
San Francisco AIDS Foundation, most Americans with HIV will be over 50 by 2015,
and this represents an important pilot study that encourages further research
into the role cognitive function can play in “achieving better long-term
outcomes for older adults with HIV.”
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
