HIV and the brain

Right from the early years of the epidemic, researchers have recognized that HIV can affect the brain. Before effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), people with AIDS were susceptible to a variety of opportunistic infections of the brain, as well as HIV-related dementia. With the advent of effective combination ART in the mid-1990s, the prevalence of both conditions declined dramatically in areas with widespread access to treatment. Less severe neurocognitive impairment, however, remains common. In fact, some research indicates that the frequency of HIV-related neurological impairment is rising as people with HIV live longer.