Abstract #2536

Neurometabolic consequences of perinatal HIV infection and exposure are still observed in children at 11 years

Amy Graham¹, Martha Holmes¹, Francesca Little², Els Dobbels³, Mark Cotton³, Barbara Laughton³, Andre van der Kouwe^4,5, Ernesta Meintjes^1,6, and Frances Robertson^1,6

¹Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, ²Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, ³Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa, ⁴A.A. Martinos Centre for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States, ⁵Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States, ⁶Cape Universities Body Imaging Center, University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa

HIV establishes reservoirs within the brain, causing damage despite individuals adhering to antiretroviral therapy. The long-term consequences of perinatal HIV infection and early treatment in children remain unclear. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was carried out to assess the effects of HIV on neurodevelopment, at a metabolic level, comparing HIV-positive, HIV-exposed-uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed children at 11 years old. Absolute metabolite concentrations were compared between these groups, through linear regression analysis. Elevated choline levels within two regions of interest suggest putative inflammation in HIV-positive children. A reduction of N-acetyl-acetate in a white-matter region of HIV-positive and HEU children implies axonal damage.

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