The prevalence of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) will undoubtedly increase with the improved longevity of HIV-infected persons. HIV infection, itself, as well as multiple physiologic and psychosocial factors can contribute to cognitive impairment and neurologic complications. These comorbidities confound the diagnosis, assessment, and interventions for neurocognitive disorders. In this review, we discuss the role of several key comorbid factors that may contribute significantly to the development and progression of HIV-related neurocognitive impairment, as well as the current status of diagnostic strategies aimed at identifying HIV-infected individuals with impaired cognition and future research priorities and challenges.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1)-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND) is a major neurological complication of HIV infection, affecting up to 50% of persons with advanced HIV disease. With the introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) in the mid-1990s, HAND is persisting due principally to the increased life expectancy, and the chronic neurotoxic effect of HIV on the brain. Therefore, as for HIV infection, HAND is now considered a chronic disease in countries with cART access. The top journals are peer reviewed scholarly journals. These provide high quality, meticulously reviewed and rapid publication, to cater the insistent need of scientific community. These journals are indexed with all their citations noted. The top open access journals are indexed in MEDLINE, PUBMED, SCOPUS, COPERNICUS, CAS, EBSCO and ISI.