Development of normative neuropsychological performance in Thailand for the assessment of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders

International studies of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) are needed to determine the viral and host factors associated with cognitive impairment particularly as more than 80% of HIV+ subjects reside in resource-limited settings. Recent diagnostic nomenclature of HAND requires comparison of cognitive performance specifically to local normative data. To evaluate this need for local norms, we compared normative data obtained locally in Thailand to Western norms. The current study examined cognitive performance in 477 seronegative Thai participants (male=211, female=266) who completed a battery of tests sensitive to cognitive changes in HIV. The cohort was divided into three age brackets (20–34; 35–49; 50–65) and four educational levels (no education or primary education, less than secondary certificate, high school/associates degree, Bachelor’s degree or greater). The Thai cohort was compared (using ANCOVA) on a number of measures to a seronegative US cohort (n=236; male=198 female=38) to examine cultural differences in performance. Normative data are provided with age and education stratification. The Thai and US groups performed significantly differently on all neuropsychological measures with the exception of verbal fluency. The Thai group performed better on measures of verbal learning (p<0.001) and memory (p<0.001), and measures of psychomotor speed (p<0.001). Education was a more powerful predictor of performance in the Thai cohort compared to the US group. These results highlight the continued need for the development of normative data within local populations. The use of Western norms as a comparison group could lead to inaccurate identification of HAND in culturally distinct groups

Establishing apomorphine treatment in Thailand:understanding the challenges and opportunities of Parkinson's disease management in developing countries

INTRODUCTION: The increasing global burden of Parkinson's disease (PD) poses a particular challenge for developing countries, such as Thailand, when delivering care to a geographically diverse populace with limited resources, often compounded by a lack of expertise in the use of certain PD medications, such as device-aided therapies (DAT). AREAS COVERED: A panel of local, regional, and international PD experts convened to review the unmet needs of PD in Thailand and share insights into effective delivery of DAT, focusing on experience with apomorphine infusion. Despite its proven efficacy and safety, implementation of apomorphine infusion as a new option was not straightforward. This has prompted a range of health-care professional and patient-focused initiatives, led by the Chulalongkorn Center of Excellence for Parkinson's Disease and Related Disorders in Bangkok, to help establish a more coordinated approach to PD management throughout the country and ensure patients have access to suitable treatments. EXPERT OPINION: Overcoming the challenges of education, proficiency, resource capacity and standard of care for PD patients in developing countries requires a coordinated effort both nationally and beyond. The best practices identified in Thailand following the introduction of apomorphine infusion might be helpful for other countries when implementing similar programs