Cortical Neuroplasticity and fNIRS Seed-Based Connectivity in Adolescent HIV: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial
Source abstract
Abstract
HIV neuroinvasion results in neuronal dysregulation and compromised neurocognition. Neuroplasticity measures, such as HIV cognitive rehabilitation, have shown potential for partially reversing cognitive deficits after HIV invasion. Previous functional NIRS (fNIRS) studies have demonstrated that customized attention brain training (ABT) has the potential to alter brain activity in adolescent HIV. Nonetheless, the effects of ABT on brain functional connectivity in adolescent HIV remain unclear. This study investigated behavioral and functional connectivity changes in adolescent HIV amongst participants (n = 26) receiving 12 weeks of ABT compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU) controls. Twenty-six adolescents living with HIV were recruited and randomly assigned to either the ABT group (n = 13) or the TAU group (n = 13). Participants completed NEPSY-II and fNIRS measures before and after the training. Functional connectivity (FC) measures were evaluated using seed-based correlation analysis, located in the central executive network (CEN) and across the hemispheres. No significant behavioral differences were noted on the NEPSY-II and BRIEF scores; however, functional connectivity measures indicated that the ABT group exhibited significantly increased FCs in the left hemisphere (p < 0.05) following brain training. Additionally, thresholding analysis indicated that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may serve as a potential marker for brain training in adolescent neuro-HIV.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: HIV Research and Treatment · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Mosquito-borne diseases and control
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Psychology, Rhodes University, Makhanda 6139, South Africa
Funding
South African National Research Foundation · Article Processing Charge
References (59)
Show source-provided references
1. HIV neuropathology10.1016/B978-0-444-63849-6.00002-5 ↗
2. Cognitive impairment in people living with HIV in the ART era: A review10.1093/bmb/ldy019 ↗
3. Working with memory: Computerized, adaptive working memory training for adolescents living with HIV10.1080/09297049.2019.1676407 ↗
4. Attention and concentration functions in HIV-positive adolescents who are on anti-retroviral treatment10.1177/0081246314540141 ↗
5. Selective impairments of alerting and executive control in HIV-infected patients: Evidence from attention network test10.1186/s12993-017-0129-0 ↗
6. Bugarski Ignjatovic, V., Mitrovic, J., Kozic, D., Boban, J., Maric, D., and Brkic, S. (2018). Executive functions rating scale and neurobiochemical profile in HIV-positive individuals. Front. Psychol., 9.10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01238 ↗
7. Efavirenz is associated with altered fronto-striatal function in HIV+ adolescents10.1007/s13365-019-00764-9 ↗
8. Cognitive impairment in people living with HIV: Consensus recommendations for a new approach10.1038/s41582-023-00813-2 ↗
9. NeuroAIDS in children
10. Introduction to HIV infection and HIV neurology
11. White matter loss and oligodendrocyte dysfunction in HIV: A consequence of the infection, the antiretroviral therapy or both?10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146397 ↗
12. Nano-ART and NeuroAIDS10.1007/s13346-016-0293-z ↗
13. The role of catecholamines in HIV neuropathogenesis10.1016/j.brainres.2018.04.030 ↗
14. The neurobiology of HIV and its impact on cognitive reserve: A review of cognitive interventions for an aging population10.1016/j.nbd.2016.01.011 ↗
15. A feasibility study exploring the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation therapy for paediatric HIV in rural South Africa: A focus on sustained attention10.5604/01.3001.0016.0115 ↗
16. A pilot study of the neuropsychological benefits of computerized cognitive rehabilitation in Ugandan children with HIV10.1037/a0019312 ↗
17. Neuropsychological benefits of computerized cognitive rehabilitation training in Ugandan children surviving severe malaria: A randomized controlled trial10.1016/j.brainresbull.2018.03.002 ↗
18. Benki-Nugent, S., and Boivin, M.J. (2019). Neurocognitive complications of pediatric HIV infections. Neurocognitive Complications of HIV-Infection, Springer.10.1007/7854_2019_102 ↗
19. An updated systematic review of neuroimaging studies of children and adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV10.1007/s40817-015-0009-1 ↗
20. Adaptive working memory training improved brain function in human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive patients10.1002/ana.24805 ↗
21. Shining light into adolescent HIV neuroplasticity: A study of the prefrontal cortex using functional near infrared spectrometry
22. Brain connectivity analysis: A short survey10.1155/2012/412512 ↗
23. Shahhosseini, Y., and Miranda, M.F. (2022). Functional connectivity methods and their applications in fMRI data. Entropy, 24.10.3390/e24030390 ↗
24. Functional and effective connectivity in neuroimaging: A synthesis10.1002/hbm.460020107 ↗
25. Independent component and graph theory analyses reveal normalized brain networks on resting-state functional MRI after working memory training in people with HIV10.1002/jmri.28439 ↗
26. Functional connectivity in the motor cortex of resting human brain using echo-planar MRI10.1002/mrm.1910340409 ↗
27. Cognitive control network anatomy correlates with neurocognitive behavior: A longitudinal study10.1002/hbm.23401 ↗
28. The role of PFC networks in cognitive control and executive function10.1038/s41386-021-01152-w ↗
29. A feasibility study on the efficacy of functional near-infrared spectrometry (fNIRS) to measure prefrontal activation in paediatric HIV10.1155/2024/4970794 ↗
30. Survey of magnetic resonance imaging availability in West Africa10.11604/pamj.2018.30.240.14000 ↗
31. On the relationship between seed-based and ICA-based measures of functional connectivity10.1002/mrm.22818 ↗
32. Cross-hemispheric functional connectivity in the human fetal brain10.1126/scitranslmed.3004978 ↗
33. Toich, J.T.F., Taylor, P.A., Holmes, M.J., Gohel, S., Cotton, M.F., Dobbels, E., Laughton, B., Little, F., Van Der Kouwe, A.J., and Biswal, B. (2017). Functional connectivity alterations between networks and associations with infant immune health within networks in HIV infected children on early treatment: A study at 7 years. Front. Hum. Neurosci., 11.10.3389/fnhum.2017.00635 ↗
34. Classification of schizophrenia by seed-based functional connectivity using prefronto-temporal functional near infrared spectroscopy10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108874 ↗
35. Meditation effect in changing functional integrations across large-scale brain networks: Preliminary evidence from a meta-analysis of seed-based functional connectivity10.1017/prp.2020.1 ↗
36. Brain plasticity and adolescent HIV: A randomised controlled trial protocol investigating behavioural and hemodynamic responses in attention cognitive rehabilitation therapy10.1016/j.mex.2024.102808 ↗
37. A pilot study of cognitive training with and without transcranial direct current stimulation to improve cognition in older persons with HIV-related cognitive impairment10.2147/NDT.S120282 ↗
38. Ownby, R.L., and Kim, J. (2021). Computer-delivered cognitive training and transcranial direct current stimulation in patients with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder: A randomized trial. Front. Aging Neurosci., 13.10.3389/fnagi.2021.766311 ↗
39. fNIRS Optodes’ Location Decider (fOLD): A toolbox for probe arrangement guided by brain regions-of-interest10.1038/s41598-018-21716-z ↗
40. Do “brain-training” programs work?10.1177/1529100616661983 ↗
41. The adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study: Imaging acquisition across 21 sites10.1016/j.dcn.2018.03.001 ↗
42. Rehabilitation for cognitive impairments after cerebral malaria in African children: Strategies and limitations10.1111/j.1365-3156.2006.01685.x ↗
43. Dovis, S., Van der Oord, S., Wiers, R.W., and Prins, P.J.M. (2015). Improving executive functioning in children with ADHD: Training multiple executive functions within the context of a computer game. A randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial. PLoS ONE, 10.10.1371/journal.pone.0121651 ↗
44. Attention and executive functions computer training for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Results from a randomized, controlled trial10.1007/s00787-018-1151-y ↗
45. Imaging studies of the HIV-infected brain10.1016/B978-0-444-63849-6.00018-9 ↗
46. Applying the HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder diagnostic criteria to HIV-infected youth10.1212/WNL.0000000000002669 ↗
47. Thinning of the cerebral cortex visualized in HIV/AIDS reflects CD4+ T lymphocyte decline10.1073/pnas.0502548102 ↗
48. HIV infection and the fronto-striatal system: A systematic review and meta-analysis of fMRI studies10.1097/QAD.0000000000000151 ↗
49. Neural dynamics of selective attention deficits in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder10.1212/WNL.0000000000006504 ↗
50. Ribolsi, M., Daskalakis, Z.J., Siracusano, A., and Koch, G. (2014). Abnormal asymmetry of brain connectivity in schizophrenia. Front. Hum. Neurosci., 8.10.3389/fnhum.2014.01010 ↗
51. Patterns of brain asymmetry associated with polygenic risks for autism and schizophrenia implicate language and executive functions but not brain masculinization10.1038/s41380-021-01204-z ↗
52. Jajcay, L., Tomeček, D., Horáček, J., Španiel, F., and Hlinka, J. (2022). Brain functional connectivity asymmetry: Left hemisphere is more modular. Symmetry, 14.10.3390/sym14040833 ↗
53. Brain structural changes following HIV infection: Meta-analysis10.3174/ajnr.A5432 ↗
54. A neuromarker of sustained attention from whole-brain functional connectivity10.1038/nn.4179 ↗
55. Clark, K.L., and Noudoost, B. (2014). The role of prefrontal catecholamines in attention and working memory. Front. Neural Circuits, 8.10.3389/fncir.2014.00033 ↗
56. Brooks, S.J., Mackenzie-Phelan, R., Tully, J., and Schiöth, H.B. (2020). Review of the neural processes of working memory training: Controlling the impulse to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Front. Psychiatry, 11.10.3389/fpsyt.2020.512761 ↗
57. Kwasa, J., Peterson, H.M., Jones, L., Karrobi, K., Parker, T., Nickerson, N., and Wood, S. (2022). Demographic reporting and phenotypic exclusion in fNIRS. bioRxiv.10.1101/2022.11.08.515730 ↗
58. The (in)stability of functional brain network measures across thresholds10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.05.046 ↗
59. Automated thresholding method for fNIRS-based functional connectivity analysis: Validation with a case study on Alzheimer’s disease10.1109/TNSRE.2020.3007589 ↗