Neurocognition and the Aging Brain in People With HIV: Implications for Screening

Abstract

The introduction of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) has converted HIV infection from a lethal disease to a manageable chronic condition for most people. The drastic improvement in life expectancy of people with HIV has led to an expansion of the aging population of people with HIV globally. Recent research indicates that people with HIV on suppressive ART still sustain persistent, albeit alleviated, systemic and cerebral immune activation that can facilitate age-related causes of cognitive impairment (CI), including neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases. Although HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder remains prevalent in older people with HIV on suppressive ART, the co-occurrence of other age-related causes of CI makes the investigation and management of CI more challenging. More importantly, it remains unknown if the neuropsychiatric manifestations of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder are modified by the presence of age-related causes of CI, such as Alzheimer disease, and vice versa. This article will review findings regarding the interaction between HIV-1 infection and age-related comorbidities, namely atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases, followed by cognitive outcomes of people with HIV in longitudinal studies. Cognitive symptoms of people with HIV on stable ART will be discussed. The review will go through the latest recommendations for cognitive screening in different HIV management guidelines, as well as the usefulness of various screening tools in the setting of stable viral suppression.

Figure.

Clinical symptoms seen in the setting of HIV. Although individuals with HIV often present with memory complaints, careful questioning often identifies challenges with attention and concentration, as well as symptoms in the motor and behavioral domains.