Dementia Due to HIV Infection

AIDS Retrospective Slideshow

• Dementia Due to HIV Infection Overview
• Dementia Due to HIV Infection Causes
• Dementia Due to HIV Infection Symptoms
• Exams and Tests
• Dementia Due to HIV Infection Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Support Groups and Counseling
• For More Information
• Web Links
• Multimedia
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Dementia Due to HIV Infection Overview

Decline in mental processes is a common complication of HIV infection (and many other conditions).

• Although the specific symptoms vary from person to person, they may be part of a single disorder known as AIDS dementia complex, or ADC. Other names for ADC are HIV-associated dementia and HIV/AIDS encephalopathy.
  
  
• Common symptoms include decline in thinking, or “cognitive,” functions such as memory, reasoning, judgment, concentration, and problem solving.
  
  
• Other common symptoms are changes in personality and behavior, speech problems, and motor (movement) problems such as clumsiness and poor balance.
  
  
• When these symptoms are severe enough to interfere with everyday activity, a diagnosis of dementia may be warranted. 

AIDS dementia complex typically occurs as CD4+ count falls to less than 200 cells/microliter. It may be the first sign of AIDS. With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the frequency of ADC has declined from 30-60% of people infected with HIV to less than 20%. HAART may not only prevent or delay the onset of AIDS dementia complex in people with HIV infection, it can also improve mental function in people who already have ADC.