Altered metabolism in right basal ganglia associated with asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment in HIV-infected individuals

Yi Zhan; Dan-Chao Cai; Ying Liu; Fengxiang Song; Fei Shan; Pengrui Song; Guochao Chen; Yijun Zhang; He Wang; Yuxin Shi

Heliyon (Jan 2024)

Altered metabolism in right basal ganglia associated with asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment in HIV-infected individuals

Yi Zhan,
Dan-Chao Cai,
Ying Liu,
Fengxiang Song,
Fei Shan,
Pengrui Song,
Guochao Chen,
Yijun Zhang,
He Wang,
Yuxin Shi

Affiliations

Yi Zhan: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Dan-Chao Cai: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Ying Liu: Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Fengxiang Song: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Fei Shan: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Pengrui Song: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Guochao Chen: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Yijun Zhang: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
He Wang: Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Yuxin Shi: Department of Radiology, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 1
p. e23342

Abstract

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Background: Only few studies have focused on the metabolite differences between asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (ANI) and cognitively normal people living with HIV (PLWH). The current study aims to examine whether brain metabolisms in basal ganglia (BG) by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) were potential to discriminate ANI from cognitively normal PLWH. Methods: According to neuropsychological (NP) test, 80 PLWH (37.4 ± 10.2 years) were divided into ANI group (HIV-ANI, n = 31) and NP normal group (HIV-normal, n = 49). Brain metabolisms by MRS from right BG were compared between groups, including N-acetylaspartate and N-acetyl aspartylglutamate (tNAA), creatine and phosphocreatine (tCr), and choline-containing compounds (tCho). A total value of three metabolites were introduced. All brain metabolisms were evaluated as its percentage of total. Furthermore, correlations between MRS and NP and clinical measures were evaluated. A logistic regression model was applied, and the AUC values for the model and the continuous factors were compared using receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis. Results: Compared to HIV-normal group, tNAA/total was lower and tCr/total was higher in the HIV-ANI group (P < 0.05). Both tNAA/total and tCr/total values were correlated with NP score (P < 0.05), especially in verbal fluency, speed of information processing, learning, and recall (P < 0.05). The logistic model included BG-tCr/total, current CD4 and infection years of PLWH. The AUC value for the BG-tCr/total was 0.696 and was not significantly lower than that for logistic model (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The altered brain metabolites in the right BG were found in the ANI group compared to PLWH with normal cognition, and further associated with NP deficits. The current findings indicated that brain metabolites assessed by MRS has the potential to discriminate ANI from cognitively normal PLWH.

Published in Heliyon

ISSN: 2405-8440 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Science (General); Social Sciences: Social sciences (General)
Website: https://www.cell.com/heliyon/home

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