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HIV-related mental disorders
Dementia
Before effective anti-HIV treatment became available (often called highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART for short, the abbreviation that will be used throughout this booklet) it was calculated that between approximately 2% - 7% of people with very weak immune systems due to advanced HIV infection would develop dementia. Survival was, and remains, very poor for HIV-positive people with dementia.
Thanks to the success of anti-HIV treatment new cases of dementia are now very rarely seen, and only in people who have not been taking HAART.
The symptoms of dementia in people with HIV resemble those seen in older people with senile dementia and include:
It is important to remember that there can be many other causes of the symptoms listed above, not only dementia. It is important to see your HIV doctor to find out what the cause is if you experience any of these symptoms.
Tests can assess subtle changes in memory, concentration, and the way the brain processes information. These can be as simple as an ability to memorise and recall lists. A sample of cerebrospinal fluid can also be checked to look for cell abnormalities and the presence of HIV. Scans can also help diagnose dementia.
Even before HAART became available in the late 1990s, the number of new cases of dementia seen in HIV-positive people was already falling.
Any HAART combination that keeps your CD4 cell count above 200 will protect you from developing dementia.
People with dementia often require special care. There used to be special residential facilities providing care for HIV-positive people with dementia, but because the condition is now so rare these have now closed. If round-the-clock care is needed this is likely to be provided either in a person’s home or a general residential care home.
Mania
Manic episodes – uncontrolled impulses, or bursts of energy or rage - are occasionally seen in people with very advanced HIV infection with very weak immune systems (a CD4 cell count below 50). It is thought that they were due to damage to the brain caused by HIV. Thanks to HAART cases are now extremely rare.
Before effective anti-HIV treatment became available (often called highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART for short, the abbreviation that will be used throughout this booklet) it was calculated that between approximately 2% - 7% of people with very weak immune systems due to advanced HIV infection would develop dementia. Survival was, and remains, very poor for HIV-positive people with dementia.
Thanks to the success of anti-HIV treatment new cases of dementia are now very rarely seen, and only in people who have not been taking HAART.
The symptoms of dementia in people with HIV resemble those seen in older people with senile dementia and include:
- Difficulty in thinking or understanding, including forgetfulness, loss of memory, severe problems concentrating, confusion and problems planning and organising.
- Behavioural changes including feelings of isolation, a loss of interest, and childish behaviour.
- Problems with movement and coordination, such as loss of balance or strength from the limbs.
It is important to remember that there can be many other causes of the symptoms listed above, not only dementia. It is important to see your HIV doctor to find out what the cause is if you experience any of these symptoms.
Tests can assess subtle changes in memory, concentration, and the way the brain processes information. These can be as simple as an ability to memorise and recall lists. A sample of cerebrospinal fluid can also be checked to look for cell abnormalities and the presence of HIV. Scans can also help diagnose dementia.
Even before HAART became available in the late 1990s, the number of new cases of dementia seen in HIV-positive people was already falling.
Any HAART combination that keeps your CD4 cell count above 200 will protect you from developing dementia.
People with dementia often require special care. There used to be special residential facilities providing care for HIV-positive people with dementia, but because the condition is now so rare these have now closed. If round-the-clock care is needed this is likely to be provided either in a person’s home or a general residential care home.
Mania
Manic episodes – uncontrolled impulses, or bursts of energy or rage - are occasionally seen in people with very advanced HIV infection with very weak immune systems (a CD4 cell count below 50). It is thought that they were due to damage to the brain caused by HIV. Thanks to HAART cases are now extremely rare.