July 27, 2009

Alcoholism and HIV Might Affect Short-Term Memory

A new study has found that HIV infection and chronic drinking can cause problems with short-term episodic memory, HealthDay News reports.

According to a study that appears in an online version of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, more than half of HIV-positive clinic patients were also heavy drinkers. While the patients’ long-term memory seemed unaffected, they did appear to have more problems with their short-term memory, which is associated with the ability to learn new information.

Sara Jo Nixon, PhD, a professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Florida at Gainsville, said that the inability to learn might affect various aspects of an HIV-positive person’s life, such as adhering to medication routines.

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BusyDame, Lusaka, 2009-08-06 10:15:54
Just a case in point; I am not an alcohol consumer, but my short term memory is now very poor and it does affect my decision making. I work and my intellect is essential but gradually I have found myself becoming useless, not sure if I should tell my employers about my problem, am not sure if it will be helpful. I now classify myself as a dull person because I feel it. Simply, putI am gradually losing my dependability. Could it also be that alcohol abuse is also just a common coincidence?