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Hestien Vreugdenhil, MA; Pim Brouwers, PhD; Pamela Wolters, PhD; Dirk Bakker, PhD; Howard Moss, PhD

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1997;151(10):1025-1032.

Abstract
Objective
To investigate possible alterations in dopaminergic function in children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome by evaluating spontaneous eye blink rate, a putative measure of central dopaminergic function.

Design
Evaluation of previously videotaped test sessions of a consecutive case series of 50 children (mean age, 5.2 years; range, 2-12 years) with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Setting
Government medical research center.

Results
Intrarater reliability was high, expected covariation of blink rate with age and concurrent mental activity were confirmed, and obtained rates were similar to published data. Higher blink rates, suggestive of increased dopaminergic function, were associated with more severe cortical atrophy (P<.05) and white matter abnormality (P<.05) on computed tomographic brain scans. The presence or severity of basal ganglia calcifications did not seem to influence blink rate. In addition, higher blink rates were associated with higher ratings of depressed affect (P<.05) and lower ratings of hyperactive behaviors (P<.05) during other test activities.

Conclusions
The higher blink rates in human immunodeficiency virus–infected children with more severe cortical abnormalities suggest increased central dopamine activity compared with that in children without cortical computed tomographic brain scan abnormalities. Thus, as a result of structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter levels in children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome may vary and this may be reflected in their socioemotional functioning.

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1997;151:1025-1032

Author Affiliations
From the HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda (Ms Vreugdenhil and Drs Brouwers, Wolters, and Moss), and Medical Illness Counseling Center, Chevy Chase (Drs Wolters and Moss), Md; and Department of Pediatric Neuropsychology, Free University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Ms Vreugdenhil and Dr Bakker).

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