HIV infection of the central nervous system: clinical features and neuropathogenesis

Almost 65 million people worldwide have been infected with HIV since it was first identified in the early 1980s. Neurologic disorders associated with HIV type 1 affect between 40% and 70% of infected individuals. The most significant of these disorders include HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder, which comprises HIV-associated dementia, mild neurocognitive disorder, and asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment. Despite the availability of combination antiretroviral therapy, HIV-related central nervous system disorders continue to represent a substantial personal, economic, and societal burden. This review summarizes the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and pathogenesis of the primary HIV-associated central nervous system disorders.