Question

10. Describe the main neuropathologic features of acquired immunodeficiency -related encephalopathy.

Answer 1

HIV encephalopathy may develop when CD4 count is low. CD4 cells helps to fight infection. Due to low count of CD4 cells the virus crosses the blood brain barrier through infected monocytes , lymphocytes or endothelial cells.

In HIV encephalopathy, the brain swells. This affects both blood volume and brain structure, causing memory related problems and gradually leads to dementia. Dementia worsens upon spread of infection.

- it is characterized by loss of myelin in the deep white matter of cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres, with scattered multinucleated gaint cells and microglia but less or absent inflammatory reaction.

- HIV encephalitis is associated with scattered multinucleate gaint cells and necrosis.

- sometimes viral proteins directly affects the nerve cells.