USA: HIV-meth combo injures brain, study says

Adding to the list of dangers of crystal meth for some gay men, new research has uncovered signs of brain damage in HIV-positive people who abuse the drug.

Published in the August issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, the research shows that HIV infection and methamphetamine abuse can change the size of certain brain structures, which can manifest difficulties in learning, solving problems, maintaining attention and quickly processing information.

Researchers, led by Dr. Terry Jernigan of the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center of the University of California-San Diego, found that meth abuse inflames parts of the brain that help people understand (parietal cortex) and coordinate movements and motivation (basal ganglia).

HIV infection, on the other hand, is associated with volume losses in the parts that involve reasoning (cerebral cortex) and memory and learning (hippocampus, basal ganglia).

The study involved 103 adults divided into four groups: HIV-positive meth abusers, HIV-positive nonabusers, HIV-negative meth abusers and HIV-negative nonabusers.

"In HIV-infected people, the cognitive impairments are associated with decreased employment and vocational abilities, difficulties with medication management, impaired driving performance and problems with general activities of daily living, such as managing money," Jernigan said, according to a press release from the National Institutes of Health.

The findings add another layer of danger to repeated meth use, which has been shown to increase chances for HIV infection by impairing judgment about risky sexual behavior. The highly addictive substance, which is a popular party drug in the gay community, can eventually rot teeth, induce depression and destroy livelihoods.

Dan Carlson, co-founder of the HIV Forum, a grassroots group aimed at preventing HIV transmission among gay and bisexual men in New York City, said he is not surprised by the research.

"We have known for some time that HIV and crystal meth are toxic to the brain," he said via e-mail to the PlanetOut Network. "This research provides greater detail about how crystal harms the brain and takes the next step in outlining real-life ramifications of use, such as impaired memory and the inability to focus."

Carlson added the findings underscore the need for more effective prevention efforts.

"We have to do what we can to de-glamorize this drug and implore with gay men that using this drug can change the course of their lives," he said.

AIDSmeds.com founder Peter Staley, who personally launched the provocative "Buy crystal, get HIV free!" campaign in New York, agreed the new findings alone will not be much of a deterrent.

"Unfortunately, I'm not sure people worry enough about possible future health risks, like brain damage, when choosing their party drugs," Staley said. "For instance, most of us have tried cigarettes at least once in our lives, even though they kill more Americans than any other substance."

"Personally, I'm convinced my prior meth use has affected by memory and attention skills," said Staley, who is HIV-positive. "And most of my friends in recovery feel the same way."

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org/amphetablog.html
Pubdate: Friday, 12th August 2005
Source: PlanetOut.com (USA Web)
Author: Tom Musbach
Contact: http://www.planetout.com/news/features/letters/form.html
Copyright: 1995-2005 PlanetOut Interactive Services
Website: http://www.planetout.com/


, PlanetOut Network
Friday, August 12, 2005 / 12:28 PM