BACKGROUND Attention ability can be subdivided into three functionally independent networks, i.e., alerting network, orienting network, and executive network. Previous literature has documented that deficits in attention are a common consequence of HIV infection. However, the precise nature of deficits of attention in HIV-infected patients is poorly understood. Accordingly, the aim of the study was to identify whether the HIV-infected patients showed a specific attention network deficit or a general attentional impairment. METHODS We investigated 27 HIV-infected patients and 31 normal controls with the Attention Network Test (ANT). RESULTS The patients exhibited less efficient alerting network and executive network than controls. No significant difference was found in orienting network effect between groups. Our results also indicate a tendency for poorer efficiency on alerting attention and executive attention in patients with CD4 ≤ 200. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that HIV-infected patients exhibited selective impairments of attention network of alerting and executive control. The link between lower CD4 T cell count and poorer attention network function imply the importance of starting antiretroviral therapy earlier to avoid irreversible neurocognitive impairment.

中文翻译：

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HIV感染患者的警报和执行控制的选择性障碍：注意力网络测试的证据。

背景技术注意力能力可以分为三个功能独立的网络，即警报网络，定向网络和执行网络。先前的文献已经证明，注意力不足是艾滋病毒感染的常见后果。然而，人们对HIV感染患者注意力缺乏的确切性质了解甚少。因此，该研究的目的是确定感染了HIV的患者是否表现出特定的注意网络缺陷或总体注意障碍。方法我们使用注意网络测试（ANT）调查了27名HIV感染患者和31名正常对照。结果与对照相比，患者的警报网络和执行网络效率较低。组间定向网络效应没有发现显着差异。我们的结果还表明，在CD4≤200的患者中，提醒注意和执行注意的效率会降低。结论我们的发现表明，感染HIV的患者对提醒和执行控制的注意网络表现出选择性的损伤。较低的CD4 T细胞计数与较差的注意力网络功能之间的联系暗示着尽早开始抗逆转录病毒治疗以避免不可逆的神经认知损害​​的重要性。