Acute and Early Infection (n = 50)

It has long been known that HIV enters the central nervous system (CNS) shortly after infection, resulting in neurocognitive impairment in one third of individuals who are otherwise in a physically “asymptomatic” phase of illness. The timing, characteristics, features, and factors affecting risk of neurocognitive impairment, and their relationship to antiretroviral therapy, remain unclear. In hopes of understanding the earliest phases of development of neurocognitive impairment, all participants identified as either Acute or Early (infected (duration of infection <= 1 year) will be enrolled into the Option Period and will undergo the standard Option Period Protocol. Though we will have a relatively small cohort, data collected on these well characterized individuals will be unique and may provide valuable preliminary insights for planning future studies into the pathogenesis and possibly prevention of HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy and neurocognitive impairment.

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