From POZ online…
In the early years of the epidemic, neurological problems—dubbed neuro-AIDS—were a major concern. HIV can damage the brain directly, and several opportunistic infections can cause neurological symptoms. According to some estimates, as many as half of all people with AIDS developed debilitating brain problems.
Today, severe neurological manifestations of HIV are less common thanks to effective antiretroviral treatment. Nonetheless, people living with the virus may experience more subtle neurological and cognitive problems, collectively known as HIV-related neurocognitive disorder (HAND). Even when viral load is undetectable, HIV can cause chronic immune activation and inflammation that take a toll on the brain. What’s more, the aging HIV population is prone to the neurocognitive decline that comes with advancing age.
It is unclear how many people are affected by HAND. Studies have produced widely varying estimates, in part because they use different definitions of the condition. But we know that HIV-related neurocognitive problems are more common among people with uncontrolled virus and advanced immune suppression, as indicated by a low CD4 T-cell count.