HIV Neurotoxicity: Potential Therapeutic Interventions
Individuals suffering from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection suffer from a wide range of neurological deficits. The most pronounced are the motor and cognitive deficits observed in many patients in the latter stages of HIV infection. Gross postmortem inspection shows cortical atr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Hindawi Limited
2006-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/JBB/2006/65741 |
| Summary: | Individuals suffering from human immunodeficiency virus type 1
(HIV-1) infection suffer from a wide range of neurological
deficits. The most pronounced are the motor and cognitive deficits
observed in many patients in the latter stages of HIV infection.
Gross postmortem inspection shows cortical atrophy and widespread
neuronal loss. One of the more debilitating of the HIV-related
syndromes is AIDS-related dementia, or HAD. Complete understanding
of HIV neurotoxicity has been elusive. Both direct and indirect
toxic mechanisms have been implicated in the neurotoxicity of the
HIV proteins, Tat and gp120. The glutamatergic system, nitric
oxide, calcium, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and microglia have all
been implicated in the pathogenesis of HIV-related neuronal
degeneration. The aim of this review is to summarize the most
recent work and provide an overview to the current theories of
HIV-related neurotoxicity and potential avenues of therapeutic
interventions to prevent the neuronal loss and motor/cognitive
deficits previously described. |
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| ISSN: | 1110-7243 1110-7251 |