?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F27466%2F&rft.title=Human+and+microbial+genetic+factors+contributions+to+the+development+of+HIV-associated+neurocognitive+disorder+&rft.creator=Victor%2C+Blandine&rft.description=Years+of+research+and+the+development+of+effective+therapeutic+treatments%2C+have+dramatically+improved+the+life+expectancy+rates+for+HIV-infected+individuals.+However%2C+there+is+a+subpopulation+of+aging%2C+infected+individuals+who+have+experienced+an+adverse+impact+on+their+long-term+health+and+quality+of+life%2C+the+mechanism+of+which+has+become+an+increasing+concern+of+public+health+importance.+The+counteractive+outcomes+of+aging+within+the+infected+population+leaves+many+susceptible+to+developing+age+related+morbidities+in+the+form+of+cognitive+impairment%2C+brain+atrophy%2C+and+other+neurocognitive+disorders+at+an+earlier+age+then+those+within+the+non-infected+population.+These+symptoms+manifest+in+the+form+of+HIV-associated+Neurocognitive+Disorder+or+HAND+in+infected+individuals.+Fully+understanding+the+process+in+which+HAND+can+occur+has+been+a+striving+goal+within+the+Public+Health+community.+Our+goal+is+to+determine+if+there+are+specific+genetic+and%2For+microbial+factors+within+individuals+that+may+be+contributing+to+their+development+of+cognitive+decline.+All+these+efforts+could+provide+comprehensive+insight+at+an+endophenotypic+level+into+the+pathological+mechanism+of+HAND%2C+and+a+better+understanding+of+how+diversity+in+the+gut+microbiome+can+affect+health+and+aging.+Subsequently%2C+this+information+could+lead+to+the+identification+of+genetic+biomarkers%2C+development+of+treatments%2C+and+therapeutic+options+for+regulating+chronic+HIV+infection+and+neuropathology.+We+hypothesize+that+inherited+SNPs+in+genes+of+the+folate+metabolism+pathway+affect+the+availability+of+methyl+groups+within+the+cell%2C+and+consequently+influence+DNA+methylation%2C+leading+to+the+development+of+HAND+in+seropositive+individuals%2C+and+neurocognitive+decline+in+seronegative+individuals.+We+also+hypothesize+that+there+is+an+altered+composition+of+the+microbiome+within+the+gut+of+infected+individuals%2C+the+presence+of+which+directs+the+level+of+HIV+pathogenesis+and+HAND+development.+In+comparing+HIV%2B+and+Cognitive+Decline+groups+against+control+groups%2C+we+do+not+have+sufficient+evidence+to+conclude+that+there+is+an+increased+risk+of+adverse+outcome+in+association+with+any+of+the+folate+genes+that+we+observed.+Isolation+of+bacterial+genome+produced+expected+PCR+product%2C+and+data+interpretation+following+16S+rRNA+sequencing+will+soon+yield+definitive+microbial+composition+analysis.+&rft.date=2016-06-29&rft.type=University+of+Pittsburgh+ETD&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F27466%2F1%2FBlandine_Thesis_4_2016.pdf&rft.identifier=++Victor%2C+Blandine++(2016)+Human+and+microbial+genetic+factors+contributions+to+the+development+of+HIV-associated+neurocognitive+disorder.++Master's+Thesis%2C+University+of+Pittsburgh.++++(Unpublished)++