2880 – Sensory-motor coordination and procedural memory in HIV- and HIV+ opioid addicts

Introduction Various psychomotor dysfunctions are observed in opioid addicts and HIV- and HIV+ persons. Finding markers and methods for accurately determining the psychomotor functioning has practical importance in the diagnosis, monitoring and modification of treatment. Objectives The aim of the study is to evaluate the sensory-motor coordination, procedural memory and motor learning in HIV- and HIV+ opioid addicts during methadone maintenance treatment. Methods 28 HIV- (19 men and 9 women) and 39 HIV+ (23 men and 16 women) addicts treated with opioid replacement therapy (ORT) were examined. The mean age of participants: 40.1 years HIV-, 38.4 years HIV+, the mean daily dose of methadone: 69.82 ml HIV-, 69.95 ml HIV+, the average duration of addiction: 23.2 years HIV -, 20.4 years HIV+. To evaluate the hand-eye coordination and motor learning Pursuit Rotor Task (PRT) was used. Results It was found that HIV+ addicts are more than 25% lower psychomotor performance for hand-eye coordination as compared to HIV- addicts and 50% lower efficiency compared to healthy ones. In HIV+ addicts compared to the HIV- addicts and the healthy ones were more tremor with high amplitude and low frequency and less tremor with small amplitude and high frequency. Conclusions The HIV+ opioid addicts have worse motor coordination compared to HIV- addicts and healthy ones but no impairment of motor learning.