Abstract

IRAGORRI CUCALON, Ángela María. HIV-Associated Dementia. rev.colomb.psiquiatr. [online]. 2008, vol.37, n.1, pp.81-93. ISSN 0034-7450.

Introduction: HIV-associated dementia is the most common nontraumatic dementia among young people. Objective: To describe the clinical features, diagnostic methods and treatment of HIV-associated dementia. Method: Review of the medical literature, available in Medline, Ovid and Hinari data bases. Results: The clinical features in the early stages may be mild with symptoms of poor concentration, mental slowing, and apathy which may mimic depression. Later on, as the syndrome progresses, more specific cognitive changes develop with memory loss and personality change associated with motor and sphincter difficulties as a result of an associated vacuolar myelopathy. Conclusions: Investigations are indicated to exclude other causes. MRI typically shows evidence of atrophy and diffuse white matter signal changes. Neuropsychological assessment typically shows abnormalities in the following cognitive domains: Psychomotor speed, attention, frontal lobe function, and verbal and non-verbalmemory. HAART has reduced its incidence and it now affects approximately 10% of patients with advanced disease.

Keywords : Dementia; HIV; acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; HAART.

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