There is need for a valid and reliable biomarker for HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND). The purpose of the present study was to provide preliminary evidence of the potential utility of neuronal functional connectivity measures obtained using magnetoencephalography (MEG) to identify HIV-associated changes in brain function. Resting state, eyes closed, MEG data from 10 HIV-infected individuals and 8 seronegative controls were analyzed using mutual information (MI) between all pairs of MEG sensors to determine whether there were functional brain networks that distinguished between subject groups based on cognition (global and learning) or on serostatus. Three networks were identified across all subjects, but after permutation testing (at α < .005) only the one related to HIV serostatus was significant. The network included MEG sensors (planar gradiometers) above the right anterior region connecting to sensors above the left posterior region. A mean MI value was calculated across all connections from the anterior to the posterior groupings; that score distinguished between the serostatus groups with only one error (sensitivity = 1.00, specificity = .88 (X2 = 15.4, df = 1, p < .01, Relative Risk = .11). There were no significant associations between the MI value and the neuropsychological Global Impairment rating, substance abuse, mood disorder, age, education, CD4+ cell counts or HIV viral load. We conclude that using a measure of functional connectivity, it may be possible to distinguish between HIV-infected and uninfected individuals, suggesting that MEG may have the potential to serve as a sensitive, non-invasive biomarker for HAND.

There is a lack of a neuroimaging biomarker for HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder. We report magnetoencephalography (MEG) data from patients with HIV disease and risk-group appropriate controls that were collected to determine the MEG frequency profile during the resting state, and the stability of the profile over 24 weeks. 17 individuals (10 HIV+, 7 HIV−) completed detailed neurobehavioral evaluations and 10 minutes of resting-state MEG acquisition with a 306-channel whole-head system. The entire evaluation and MEG measurement were repeated 24 weeks later. Relative MEG power in the delta (0–4 Hz), theta (4–7 Hz), alpha (8–12 Hz), beta (12–30 Hz) and low gamma (30–50 Hz) bands was computed for 8 predefined sensor groups. The median stability of resting-state relative power over 24 weeks of follow-up was 0.80 with eyes closed, and 0.72 with eyes open. The relative gamma power in the right occipital (t(15) = 1.99, p < .06, r = −.46) and right frontal (t(15t) = 2.15, p < .05, r = −.48) regions was associated with serostatus. The effect of age on delta power was greater in the seropositive subjects (r2 = .51) than in the seronegative subjects (r2 = .11). Individuals with high theta-to-gamma ratios tended to have lower cognitive test performance, regardless of serostatus. The stability of the wide-band MEG frequency profiles over 24 weeks supports the utility of MEG as a biomarker. The links between the MEG profile, serostatus, and cognition suggest further research on its potential in HAND is needed.

NeuroAIDS persists in the era of cART. We describe here recovery of brain structure and function following after 6 months of therapy in a treatment-naïve patient presenting with HIV-Associated Dementia. The patient's neuropsychological test performance improved, and his total brain volume increased by more than 5%. Neuronal functional connectivity measured by magnetoencephalography changed from a pattern identical to that observed in other HIV-infected individuals, to one that was indistinguishable from that of uninfected control subjects. These data suggest that at least some of the effects of HIV on the brain can be fully reversed with treatment.

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