Neuroprotective therapy for HIV dementia.

Abstract

Despite the development and use of effective antiretroviral therapy, HIV dementia persists and has important socio-economic consequences. Significant progress has been made in our current understanding of the neuropathogenesis of HIV infection, and it is clear that adjunctive neuroprotective therapy in addition to antiretroviral therapy are necessary for prevention and treatment of this entity. In this manuscript, we discuss the rationale and the pathophysiological mechanisms that support the development of neuroprotective therapy for HIV dementia. We review all the placebo controlled clinical trials conducted to date with neuromodulatory/neuroprotective therapy in patients with HIV dementia and discuss their outcomes. We also provide a thorough review of potential new treatments for HIV dementia based on the experimental literature. We hope that this manuscript will serve as an important guide for future approaches for clinical trials and drug development for patients with HIV dementia.

• Authors: Jadwiga Turchan, Ned Sacktor, Valerie Wojna, Katherine Conant, Avi Nath
• Journal: Current HIV research (Curr HIV Res) Vol. 1 Issue 4 Pg. 373-83 (Oct 2003) ISSN: 1570-162X [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 15049424 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Review)

Chemical References

• Anti-HIV Agents
• Antioxidants
• Nerve Growth Factors
• Neuroprotective Agents

Topics

• AIDS Dementia Complex (drug therapy, pathology, prevention & control)
• Anti-HIV Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Antioxidants (therapeutic use)
• Brain (drug effects, pathology)
• Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic
• Humans
• Nerve Growth Factors (therapeutic use)
• Neurons (drug effects, pathology, physiology)
• Neuroprotective Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)