Oculomotor disturbances in HIV-positive individuals treated with methadone
Journal Title: Advances in Hygiene and Experimental Medicine - Year 2014, Vol 68, Issue
Abstract
Methadone substitution is claimed to be the most effective way of pharmacological management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients addicted to opioids. Possible and clinically the most relevant drug interactions are those between methadone and antiretroviral agents [13,18,25,32]. HIV causes cognitive impairment by infiltrating the central nervous system (CNS) in the initial phase of infection. The consequence of this is damage to the hippocampus, caudate nucleus, and basal ganglia [2,26].Eighty-six patients from the substitution program group were examined. The trial was conducted twice: before and about 1.5 hours after the administration of a therapeutic dose of methadone. The antisaccades task (AT) and latency task (LT) were performed using a saccadometer diagnostic system.The statistical analysis showed that the mean duration of latency measured by AT in HIV(-) and HIV(+) subjects after the administration of a therapeutic dose of methadone was significantly increased (p=0.03 HIV(-); p=0.04 HIV(+)). There was a statistically significant increase in the mean latency after the administration of methadone in HIV(+) subjects when compared to the control group measured by LT (p=0.03).The statistical analysis confirms the change in the saccadic refixation parameters in patients addicted to opioids. Methadone influences saccadic dynamic parameters less in HIV(+) than in HIV(-) drug users. Oculomotor disturbances are probably related to the neurotropic effects of HIV leading to damage of the striatum, which plays an important role in psychomotor functions.
Authors and Affiliations
Julia Feit, Marek Kunc, Piotr Walecki, Edward Jacek Gorzelańczyk
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP67542
- DOI -
- Views 154
- Downloads 0
Dziedziczny rak gruczołu krokowego
Rak gruczołu krokowego jest jednym z najczęściej występujących nowotworów złośliwych w populacji męskiej i w najbliższej przyszłości może się stać główną przyczyną zgonów spowodowanych chorobą nowotworową u mężczyzn na c...
Molekularne podstawy interakcji międzylekowych w terapii nowotworów jelita grubego
Szybki postęp w dziedzinie chemioterapii nowotworów zaowocował wprowadzeniem do codziennej praktyki klinicznej wielu cennych leków o działaniu przeciwnowotworowym, umożliwiając skuteczniejsze leczenie chorych, również po...
Mechanisms of action of the anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody bevacizumab on chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells
Introduction: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) remains incurable; therefore searching for new therapeutic strategies in this disease is necessary. An important mechanism of tumor development is neoangiogenesis. A poten...
Microevolution of BCG substrains
Tuberculosis was, and still is, one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. Thus it still remains a public health priority. Nonetheless, without a newly developed vaccine, it is rather unlikely to be...
Sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) as a source of compounds with antitumor and radioprotective activity
This work presented characteristics of sea buckthorn (H. rhamnoides), the bioactive compounds they contain and their pro-health, anti-cancer and radioprotective activity. Studies have shown that antioxidants contained in...