Sex Differences in Neurocognitive Function in Adults with HIV: Patterns, Predictors, and Mechanisms

Purpose of Review Sex differences in cognitive function are well documented yet few studies had adequate numbers of women and men living with HIV (WLWH; MLWH) to identify sex differences in neurocognitive impairment (NCI) and the factors contributing to NCI. Here, we review evidence that WLWH may be...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current psychiatry reports 2019-10, Vol.21 (10), p.94-12, Article 94
Main Authors: Rubin, Leah H., Neigh, Gretchen N., Sundermann, Erin E., Xu, Yanxun, Scully, Eileen P., Maki, Pauline M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Cognition
Gender differences
HIV
HIV Infections - psychology
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Memory
Mental Health
Psychiatry
Section Editors
Sex and Gender Issues in Behavioral Health (CN Epperson and L Hantsoo
Sex Characteristics
Systematic review
Topical Collection on Sex and Gender Issues in Behavioral Health
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Purpose of Review Sex differences in cognitive function are well documented yet few studies had adequate numbers of women and men living with HIV (WLWH; MLWH) to identify sex differences in neurocognitive impairment (NCI) and the factors contributing to NCI. Here, we review evidence that WLWH may be at greater risk for NCI. Recent Findings We conducted a systematic review of recent studies of NCI in WLWH versus MLWH. A power analysis showed that few HIV studies have sufficient power to address male/female differences in NCI but studies with adequate power find evidence of greater NCI in WLWH, particularly in the domains of memory, speed of information processing, and motor function. Summary Sex is an important determinant of NCI in HIV, and may relate to male/female differences in cognitive reserve, comorbidities (mental health and substance use disorders), and biological factors (e.g., inflammation, hormonal, genetic).
ISSN:1523-3812
1535-1645
DOI:10.1007/s11920-019-1089-x