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HIV-Associated Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Homosexual Males

PURPOSE: Neuroimaging elucidations have shown structural and functional brain alterations in HIV-infected (HIV+) individuals when compared to HIV-negative (HIV–) controls. However, HIV− groups used in previous studies were not specifically considered for sexual orientation, which also affects the br...

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Autores principales: Ma, Qiong, Shi, Xiudong, Chen, Guochao, Song, Fengxiang, Liu, Fengjun, Zheng, Huang, Shi, Yuxin, Cai, Dan-Chao
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8796998/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35095719
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.757374
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author Ma, Qiong
Shi, Xiudong
Chen, Guochao
Song, Fengxiang
Liu, Fengjun
Zheng, Huang
Shi, Yuxin
Cai, Dan-Chao
author_facet Ma, Qiong
Shi, Xiudong
Chen, Guochao
Song, Fengxiang
Liu, Fengjun
Zheng, Huang
Shi, Yuxin
Cai, Dan-Chao
author_sort Ma, Qiong
collection PubMed
description PURPOSE: Neuroimaging elucidations have shown structural and functional brain alterations in HIV-infected (HIV+) individuals when compared to HIV-negative (HIV–) controls. However, HIV− groups used in previous studies were not specifically considered for sexual orientation, which also affects the brain structures and functions. The current study aimed to characterize the brain alterations associated with HIV infection while controlling for sexual orientation. METHODS: Forty-three HIV+ and 40 HIV– homosexual men (HoM) were recruited and underwent resting-state MRI scanning. Group differences in gray matter volume (GMV) were assessed using a voxel-based morphometry analysis. Brain regions with the altered GMV in the HIV+ HoM group were then taken as regions of interest in a seed-based analysis to identify altered functional connectivity. Furthermore, the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity values were compared between the two groups to evaluate the HIV-associated functional abnormalities in local brain regions. RESULTS: HIV+ HoM showed significantly increased GMV in the bilateral parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala, and decreased GMV in the right inferior cerebellum, compared with the HIV– HoM. The brain regions with increased GMV were hyper-connected with the left superior cerebellum, right lingual gyrus, and left precuneus in the HIV+ HoM. Moreover, the ALFF values of the right fusiform gyrus, and left parahippocampal gyrus were increased in the HIV+ HoM. The regional homogeneity values of the right anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri, and left superior cerebellum were decreased in the HIV+ HoM. CONCLUSION: When the study population was restricted to HoM, HIV+ individuals exhibited structural alterations in the limbic system and cerebellum, and functional abnormalities in the limbic, cerebellum, and visual network. These findings complement the existing knowledge on the HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment from the previous neuroimaging studies by controlling for the potential confounding factor, sexual orientation. Future studies on brain alternations with the exclusion of related factors like sexual orientation are needed to understand the impact of HIV infection on neurocognitive function more accurately.
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spelling pubmed-87969982022-01-29 HIV-Associated Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Homosexual Males Ma, Qiong Shi, Xiudong Chen, Guochao Song, Fengxiang Liu, Fengjun Zheng, Huang Shi, Yuxin Cai, Dan-Chao Front Neurol Neurology PURPOSE: Neuroimaging elucidations have shown structural and functional brain alterations in HIV-infected (HIV+) individuals when compared to HIV-negative (HIV–) controls. However, HIV− groups used in previous studies were not specifically considered for sexual orientation, which also affects the brain structures and functions. The current study aimed to characterize the brain alterations associated with HIV infection while controlling for sexual orientation. METHODS: Forty-three HIV+ and 40 HIV– homosexual men (HoM) were recruited and underwent resting-state MRI scanning. Group differences in gray matter volume (GMV) were assessed using a voxel-based morphometry analysis. Brain regions with the altered GMV in the HIV+ HoM group were then taken as regions of interest in a seed-based analysis to identify altered functional connectivity. Furthermore, the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity values were compared between the two groups to evaluate the HIV-associated functional abnormalities in local brain regions. RESULTS: HIV+ HoM showed significantly increased GMV in the bilateral parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala, and decreased GMV in the right inferior cerebellum, compared with the HIV– HoM. The brain regions with increased GMV were hyper-connected with the left superior cerebellum, right lingual gyrus, and left precuneus in the HIV+ HoM. Moreover, the ALFF values of the right fusiform gyrus, and left parahippocampal gyrus were increased in the HIV+ HoM. The regional homogeneity values of the right anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri, and left superior cerebellum were decreased in the HIV+ HoM. CONCLUSION: When the study population was restricted to HoM, HIV+ individuals exhibited structural alterations in the limbic system and cerebellum, and functional abnormalities in the limbic, cerebellum, and visual network. These findings complement the existing knowledge on the HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment from the previous neuroimaging studies by controlling for the potential confounding factor, sexual orientation. Future studies on brain alternations with the exclusion of related factors like sexual orientation are needed to understand the impact of HIV infection on neurocognitive function more accurately. Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-01-14 /pmc/articles/PMC8796998/ /pubmed/35095719 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.757374 Text en Copyright © 2022 Ma, Shi, Chen, Song, Liu, Zheng, Shi and Cai. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Neurology
Ma, Qiong
Shi, Xiudong
Chen, Guochao
Song, Fengxiang
Liu, Fengjun
Zheng, Huang
Shi, Yuxin
Cai, Dan-Chao
HIV-Associated Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Homosexual Males
title HIV-Associated Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Homosexual Males
title_full HIV-Associated Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Homosexual Males
title_fullStr HIV-Associated Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Homosexual Males
title_full_unstemmed HIV-Associated Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Homosexual Males
title_short HIV-Associated Structural and Functional Brain Alterations in Homosexual Males
title_sort hiv-associated structural and functional brain alterations in homosexual males
topic Neurology
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8796998/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35095719
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.757374
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