Neuroanatomical Changes Underlying Vertical HIV Infection in Adolescents

Conclusion: This study found that HIV-infected pubertal children showed a delayed cortical maturation with atrophy. This abnormal pattern of cortical development may be the structural basis for cognitive impairment in HIV-infected children. Introduction Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related encephalopathy is one of the most serious complications of AIDS and is more common in children than in adults (1). At present, there are nearly 2 million children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the world, almost all newly infected children are infected through mother-to-child transmission (2). Effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) can significantly reduce mortality and the incidence of HIV encephalopathy (3). Although the children's HIV/AIDS has been transformed into chronic, controllable disease patterns, due to the HIV virus, antiretroviral drugs and a variety of environmental factors, a series of neuropsychological defects can still appear on HIV-infected (HIV+) children, sometimes even after the treatment has fully been accepted (4). Currently, some studies have reported and summarized the neurocognitive impairment and behavioral abnormality in children infected with HIV. For example, language barriers, delayed motor development, poor school performance, etc., and some may even have psychological problems such as anxiety and depression (5, 6). Although highly active antiretroviral therapy can improve the cognitive function of HIV+...
Source: Frontiers in Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research