Posted on 10/13/2005 5:45:30 AM PDT by BJClinton
TUESDAY, Oct. 11 (HealthDay News) -- In disturbing news for HIV patients, research now provides visual evidence that the AIDS virus ravages some parts of the brain, even in those who follow powerful drug regimens to remain healthy.
By using high-tech scanners, researchers from two American universities found that the brains of HIV patients were 15 percent thinner in areas that control language, planning and movement. It didn't matter if the patients were on a drug regimen known as HAART, which often allows infected individuals to keep the virus from destroying the immune system.
"The drugs clearly aren't stopping the destruction of brain tissue," said study co-author Paul M. Thompson, a neuroscience researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles.
An estimated 40 million people worldwide are infected with the AIDS virus -- about 1 percent of those aged 15 to 49 -- and many don't have access to the antiviral medicines that have turned HIV infection into a largely treatable condition for many in the developed world.
A large percentage of HIV patients suffer from neurological problems; one study put the number at 40 percent.
In the new study, Thompson and his colleagues from UCLA and the University of Pittsburgh used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to create three-dimensional brain images of 40 subjects. Of those, 26 were HIV patients and 14 were healthy "controls."
The thickness of the brain in three areas -- the primary sensor, motor and premotor cortices -- was 15 percent lower in HIV patients. The other three-quarters of the brain were unaffected, the study found.
"Now you can catch AIDS red-handed," said Thompson, who added that the study, appearing in this week's online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was the first of its kind. "You can see the damage it inflicts on the brain in great detail."
What does this mean for HIV patients? They're likely to suffer from brain damage, Thompson said, "although it may not get to the degree where you experience noticeable symptoms."
The next step is to determine how to stop the disease from attacking the brain. But, while the virus can penetrate the brain, drugs typically can't because of a natural barrier that protects the organ from foreign materials in the blood.
"The brain becomes a kind of sanctuary where the drugs can't follow," Thompson said.
Dr. Nick Fox, a professor of neurology at University College London, who's familiar with the findings, said the new research sends an important message to health-care professionals about the need to remember about HIV's effects on the brain.
It "reminds us of the need to aggressively treat these threats to our limited stock of gray cells," Fox said.
I thought maybe this explains some of the bizarre pronouncements coming from x42.
Their activity proves their brains were thinner before they got HIV.
Yeah, kind of a "chicken vs. egg" thing there.
Welcomr to FR. It's a little early to be stoned isn't it? Now WTF are you talking about.
bttt
IBTZ
Therein is a good question, one this report doesn't answer. They had 26 HIV patients and healthy 'controls.' Were the controls also risk taking gays and drug users, just lucky enough not to have caught HIV. or did the controls reflect the lower general population risk for HIV. This press report didn't specify that although the presumably scientific article on which it is based might have given that information. Based on this report alone either they've found yet another reason to avoid getting HIV or they may have finally found the long sought physical brain difference between straights and gays. Or these results may prove to be non-reproducible and irrelevant.
Maybe the fact that not all who have aids got it from sexual or deviant activities. We know a fellow who has hemophelia (sp?), and got it through one of his blood transfusions in the 80s. His wife also got it. Good Christians, and undeserving of the scorn often heaped on aids sufferers.
As the poster also pointed out, rape is another means of transmission, and the victim should not be tarred with the same brush as gays and bisexuals who willingly have unprotected sex. Even more sad are the wee ones born to mothers who either willingly had unprotected sex, or who were raped.
And we all know about the Africans who rape children and babies, thinking that sex with virgins will make them immune to aids. Sick, horrid b*st*rds all. Of course, many of those victims will have it, too, along with the scars associated with rape.
This would not be a surprise since types of dementia have been been known to occur with AIDS for a long time. They already knew the disease effects the brain. Now they are just a little more aware of how it may do it.
Its is very likely myelomonocytic cells that "cause" the thinning in response to HIV. Macrophage (microglial) -mediated inflammation. Excessive production of reactive oxygen intermediates damage surrounding tissue.
Easier to find a cure
Oh, I agree about that. I was just saying don't be thinking everyone who has aids is "gay" or promiscuous. Sometimes they aren't. Much could be done to stop aids that hasn't, simply because some (selfish) people think their privacy is invaded if someone inquires about sex partners once the disease is diagnosed--and few of these (selfish) people will refrain from their destructive activities, even if it means passing the disease on to others. It's bad enough in this country, but Africa is even worse.
Actually, I'm guessing it's NOT easier. If it were, a cure would have been found after all these years. It would be far easier (for everyone) if people would do the right thing.
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