PURPOSE: The goal of the current study was to explore visual function in virally suppressed HIV patients undergoing combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) by using pattern-reversal and motion-onset visual evoked potentials (VEPs). METHODS: The pattern-reversal and motion-onset VEPs were recorded in 20 adult HIV+ patients with a mean age of 38 years and CD4 cell counts ≥230 × 106 cells/L of blood. RESULTS: Nine out of 20 patients displayed VEP abnormalities. Pattern-reversal VEPs pathology was observed in 20% of subjects, and 45% HIV patients had impaired motion-onset VEPs. Five out of 16 neurologically asymptomatic HIV patients had prolonged motion-onset VEP latencies in both eyes. Four neurologically symptomatic patients displayed simultaneously abnormal motion-onset and pattern-reversal VEP latencies: monocular involvement was observed in two patients with Lyme and cytomegalovirus unilateral optic neuritis. Binocular involvement was noted in two patients with cognitive deficits. Correlation analysis between disease duration, CD4 cell count, HIV copies in plasma, MoCA and electrophysiological parameters did not show any significant relationships. CONCLUSIONS: The functional changes of the visual system in neurologically asymptomatic virally suppressed HIV patients displayed higher motion-onset VEP sensitivity than in standard pattern-reversal VEP examinations. This promising marker, however, has no significant association with clinical conditions. Further exploration is warranted.

• Keywords
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Motion-onset VEP, Pattern-reversal VEP, Visual evoked potentials (VEPs),
• MeSH
• Analysis of Variance MeSH
• Anti-Retroviral Agents therapeutic use   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• HIV Infections drug therapy   immunology   physiopathology   virology   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• CD4 Lymphocyte Count MeSH
• Pattern Recognition, Visual physiology   MeSH
• Viral Load MeSH
• Motion Perception physiology   MeSH
• Optic Neuritis physiopathology   virology   MeSH
• Evoked Potentials, Visual physiology   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Retroviral Agents MeSH