Distinguishing Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment From HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders

BackgroundMemory impairment occurs in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), the precursor to Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods are needed to distinguish aMCI-associated from HAND-associated impairment in people with HIV (PWH). We developed a neuropsychological method of identifying aMCI in PWH and tested this by relating AD neuropathology (β-amyloid, phospho-Tau) to aMCI versus HAND classification.MethodsSeventy-four HIV-positive cases (aged 50-68 years) from the National NeuroAIDS Tissue Consortium had neurocognitive data within 1 year of death and data on β-amyloid and phospho-Tau pathology in frontal brain tissue. High aMCI risk was defined as impairment (