HIV Infections May Cause Brain Damage And Learning Difficulties

We are aware of the devastating effect HIV can have on the immune system, but a new studysuggests the virus may also adversely affect brain development. In groundbreaking research, scientists have found young HIV positive patients with limited or no treatment for their condition had significant disruptions in brain structure, poorer strength and efficiency of connections, and lessened cognitive performance, when compared to their peers without the virus. A new study published online in Brain Connectivity found that limited-treated or untreated HIV infections in young adults may affect their brain connections, which in turn compromises their cognitive abilities. The study found that, in addition to having visible structural and connectivity differences from uninfected peers, HIV positive young adults performed worse on cognitive tests involving tasks such as learning and recalling information. "The most interesting aspect of this study was that it was performed in young adults with limited or no history of HIV treatment."