HIV-associated dementia and aging

As the HIV/AIDS epidemic enters its third decade in the United States, a greater number of older HIV-seropositive individuals is expected. Many will live with HIV infection as a chronic illness. Additionally, use of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) in developed countries has had a dramatic affect on the face of the epidemic. To date, long-term outcomes of HAART are not available. The implications of these changes with regard to cognitive function are not known. While it is often presumed that cognitive dysfunction is more prevalent in older compared with younger HIV seropositive individuals, existing data are insufficient to confirm or deny this finding. Compared patterns of neuropsychological testing results for older and younger HIV seropositive individuals remain to be described. In this article we explore existing reports on older HIV-seropositive individuals as they relate to cognitive function and present a model for developing HIV dementia in older individuals.