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Neuropathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus infection
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Neuropathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus infection

Maribeth Tillmann and Brian Wigdahl
Seminars in the neurosciences, v 3(2), pp 131-139
1991

Abstract

autoimmunity cytokines developing human nervous system human immunodeficiency virus neurotoxicity virus latency
In general, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is considered to be a disease of the immune system; however, other organ systems, including the nervous system, are targets of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is now well established that infection with HIV frequently results in a wide range of degenerative neurological abnormalities affecting the nervous system in many AIDS patients. A wide body of experimental evidence indicates that HIV is present in the nervous system of AIDS patients with neurological complications, thus implicating HIV in the etiology of HIV-associated neurological dysfunction. This may occur either as a result of direct HIV infection of glia and possibly neurons or because of indirect mechanisms mediated by the toxic action of viral or cellular products in the nervous system; however, the exact pathogenic mechanisms leading to HIV-associated neurological dysfunction remain obscure.

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