Social Reasoning in People Living with HIV-Infection
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Social cognition and HIV: Exploring the profile of cognitive impairments in HIV-associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND)
IRAS ID
169576
Contact name
Lucy Butler
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 23 days
Research summary
This is a study to learn more about how the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection affects brain function. More specifically, the study will investigate the extent to which HIV is associated with impairments in social cognition which refers to the numerous cognitive processes that enable individuals to interact as social beings. For example, the ability to make judgments about other people’s thoughts and feelings. Social cognition has been traditionally tested using a variety of pen and paper tests and questionnaires. There exists a body of evidence which suggests that impairments in social cognition may be a significant issue for people infected with HIV, as HIV is known to affect a part of the brain - the pre-frontal cortex - closely associated with complex social abilities. Damage to this area has been historically linked with numerous other clinical presentations of social cognition impairment in neurodevelopmental and head-injury research and clinical practice.
Despite this, to date, research into the existence and nature of acquired difficulties with social ability in HIV infected people has not been prominent, and it is not routinely enquired about or screened for in health care services. If such impairments do exist, they will likely have a profound influence of peoples daily experiences, and further investigation is imperative to enrich awareness and inform further research and further patient centred clinical practice. As such, this study will investigate social cognition function in people with HIV who are known to a particular specialist service by means of routine tests of social cognition; exploring the extent to which impairments are a component in the overall neuropsychological profile of HIV associated neurocognitive Disorders.REC name
South Central - Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SC/0330
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jun 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion