About this Research Topic
Extensive literature has investigated cognitive impairments in PLWH since the advent of potent antiretroviral therapy in the early 2000s. Research initiatives with numerous participants undergoing comprehensive neuromedical, neurocognitive, and laboratory examinations have disclosed that the overall cognitive ability of PLWH under ART is significantly lower than that of well-controlled HIV-negative individuals. However, disparities exist regarding the specific cognitive domains impaired across studies. Additionally, the extent to which the brain mechanisms underpinning cognitive declines in PLWH resemble those in other populations, such as normally aging individuals or patients with Alzheimer's disease, remains unclear.
This Research Topic seeks to compile a comprehensive collection of Original Research Articles on HIV-associated neurocognitive dysfunction, and welcomes submission of the following article types: Original Research, Brief Research Report, Clinical Trial, Data Report, Study Protocol, Opinion and Review. The objectives include:
- Revealing HIV-related dysfunctions in the nervous system.
- Exploring the underlying brain mechanisms, such as the brain regions or networks associated with cognitive impairments in PLWH.
- Investigating the relationship between neurocognitive dysfunction and antiretroviral drugs, treatment outcomes, and other clinical measures.
- Comparing these dysfunctions with those observed in other populations with neurocognitive dysfunction.
Research methodologies encompass, but are not limited to:
- Cognitive and behavioral tests.
- Non-invasive neuroimaging techniques such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), positron emission tomography (PET), and computed tomography (CT).
- Advanced statistical analyses on multi-modal data, employing techniques such as machine learning.
Keywords: cognitive impairments, brain imaging, central nervous system, HIV, HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.