O-16 Resting-state functional cortical connectivity are abnormal in HIV patients. Issue 7 (July 2019) - Noce, Giuseppe
Abstract : Background: Previous evidence showed abnormal sources of resting-state delta (<4 Hz) and alpha (8–12 Hz) rhythms in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), as cortical neural synchronization markers in quiet wakefulness. Here, we tested the hypothesis of additional abnormalities in functional cortical connectivity computed in those sources in HIV patients. Material and methods: The rsEEG, clinical, and neuropsychological data were collected in 128 naïve HIV subjects with normal cognition or mild cognitive deficits and 60 control (Healthy) subjects. The eLORETA freeware estimated source connectivity by the tool called lagged linear connectivity (LLC). Area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve indexed the accuracy in the classification of Healthy and HIV individuals. Results: Posterior interhemispheric and diffuse intrahemispheric LLC solutions in alpha sources were abnormally lower in both HIV subgroups with and without mild cognitive deficits subjects, compared with the Healthy group. Noteworthy, HIV subgroup with cognitive deficits showed greater abnormalities than HIV subgroup with normal cognition. Furthermore, AUROC curves of those alpha LLC solutions exhibited moderate accuracies (>0.7) in the discrimination of control vs. HIV individuals with mild cognitive deficits. Conclusions: Naïve HIV subjects in quiet wakefulness were characterized by abnormalities in widespread alpha source connectivity, which were greater when related to mild cognitive deficits. Widespread alpha source connectivity may reflect HIV effects on brain and cognitive functions before drug regimens. Future studies may test utility of the present approach to select HIV subjects prone to cognitive decline over time and to track brain functions after neuroprotective anti-HIV drug regimens.