NeuroHIV
EXTRA INFORMATION
Investigating links between HIV and dementia
WHAT WE KNOW
About our research
The study will pay particular attention to high cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease, as both are common in older people with HIV (as a result of advancing age, HIV disease itself and antiretroviral treatment) and are risk factors for developing dementia.
The study will use a number of tests to look for evidence of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease, and to rule out causes of cognitive decline other than HIV (such as cardiovascular disease or a genetic propensity towards developing the disease).
These tests include:
- neuropsychological tests to investigate the clinical patterns of cognitive decline;
- MRI to look for patterns of brain atrophy
- diffusion tensor imaging to look for changes in white matter
- PIB-PET to look for beta amyloid protein in the brain (indicative of Alzheimer’s disease)
- genetic tests to look for genes known to influence the development of Alzheimer’s disease, such as Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and Tumor Necrosis factor (TNF)
- a number of other tests to look for biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease, HIV disease and cardiovascular disease.
We are currently recruiting HIV- men over 45 years to participate in the study. Please contact Dr Lucette Cysique via email: lcysique@unsw.edu.au or on 0431 576 710 for more information.
