HIV affects young brains even after early treatment

A new study has given a clear understanding about how even with early treatment, HIV still manages to attack young brains. Across sub-Saharan Africa today, a vast majority of children suffer from HIV. While early antiretroviral treatment, or ART, ensured that children with and exposed to HIV have less deadly results, studies have shown that the virus can still affect the brain. HIV may disrupt neurodevelopment, affecting how children learn, reason and function. The study by Professor Boivin was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. The neuropsychological performance in three groups of children 5 to 11 years old has been examined by Boivin and his colleagues: individuals who acquired HIV perinatally and were treated with ART, those exposed but HIV-negative, and those who were never exposed. The study was carried out at six testing sites in four Sub-Saharan African countries to look robustly at how HIV affects children in this field.