Abstract #1114

Elevated Myo-Inositol Reflects Activation of Astroglia and Microglia in Cognitive Impaired HIV Patients

Ute Feger¹, Mary Ricardo- Dukelow², Thomas Ernst¹, Vivek Nerurkar³, Esther Volper³, Steve Buchthal¹, Helenna Nakama¹, Linda Chang¹

¹University of Hawaii, JABSOM, Neuroscience and MR Research Program, Honolulu, HI, USA; ²University of Hawaii, JABSOM, Neuroscience and MR Research Program, Honolulu, HI, USA; ³University of Hawaii, JABSOM, Asia-Pacific Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Honolulu, HI, USA

Decline in cognitive function is one of the known complications of HIV infection.1H MR spectroscopy and cytokine measurement in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were performed on 27 HIV subjects and 7 seronegative controls. HIV subjects with cognitive impairment (HIV+CI) showed higher levels of interleukin 8 (IL-8) in CSF and higher myo-inositol in the parietal grey matter than HIV subjects with normal cognition and controls. Moreover, CSF IL-8 correlated with brain myo-inositol levels in HIV+CI, suggesting astroglial and microglial activation. CSF IL-8 measurements and brain MRS may be used as combined biomarkers for disease prognosis and progression.