$Unique_ID{BRK00011}
$Pretitle{Infections and Parasites}
$Title{Can AIDS Have a Physical Impact on the Brain?}
$Subject{virus dementia depression nervous system AIDS}
$Volume{A-7, A-1}
$Log{
AIDS weakens the immune system*0001003.scf
AIDS related complex--symptoms*0001008.scf}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Can AIDS Have a Physical Impact on the Brain?


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QUESTION:  A close friend of mine, diagnosed as having AIDS, has been acting
progressively more bizarre.  Is it just the emotional trauma of dealing with
the disease, or can AIDS have a physical impact on the brain itself?

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ANSWER:  Sadly, the brain is one of the most vulnerable organs to the AIDS
virus.  How the virus travels leaves the bloodstream and permeates the tissues
of the brain itself is but one of the many riddles AIDS scientists are still
working to unravel.
     The term AIDS dementia complex has been coined to describe the virus'
impact on the brain.  Early symptoms include forgetfulness, inability to
concentrate, and slowness of thought, accompanied by physical symptoms such as
loss of balance, leg weakness and deteriorating handwriting.  The victim may
also display signs of apathy, withdrawal, and depression.
     Often, the complex is diagnosed as an emotional reaction to the news of
AIDS infection; in some patients, the dementia complex is the only symptom of
the disease.
     Advanced signs of the disease include severe depression and advanced
problems of body control, including incontinence, while brain scans often
reveal atrophying of brain matter at this stage.  In fact, autopsies reveal
that the brain is almost always affected in AIDS cases.
     Experimental work with the drug zidovudine indicates it may have a
beneficial effect on AIDS sufferers.  While previous drug testing has focused
on fighting the infectious complications associated with AIDS, the dementia
complex may be a more accurate indicator of the degree to which the virus
affects its victims.
     AIDS can attack the nervous system as a whole, and not just the brain.
The spinal cord can be affected, and the virus has also been found in nerves
in various areas of the body.
     The opportunistic nature of AIDS opens the door to a variety of
conditions related to infections of the nervous system.  A number of cases of
neurosyphylis have been reported, suggesting that the risk of syphilis may be
magnified when an AIDS virus is present.  A reminder--if one was needed--of
the hazards of promiscuity in the age of AIDS.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
