IGF::OT::IGF

Investigators

Abstract

NeuroAIDS-Moving forward: From pathogenesis to diagnosis Despite increasing number of patients getting on ART, HIV-1 induced CNS dysfunction has persisted, making it critical to understand and tackle the CNS impairment caused by HIV. The phenotype of HIV induced CNS dysfunction has evolved over the past two decades with mild to moderate forms of disease affecting a significant number of HIV positive patients controlled on ART. The pathognomonic overt pathological signs of HIV induced CNS dysfunction such as encephalitis and neuronal death are no longer present as documented in key recent publications. NeuroAIDS research is at an inflection point, with an urgent need to understand the mechanisms that cause and modulate the CNS impairment seen in the ART era together with examining whether current assessments accurately epitomize the etiology of impairment. With over half of the HIV-1 infected population in the US, being 50 years or older, it is also important to consider the role of factors such as co-morbidities, variable chronicity of infection; differences in cognitive reserve; legacy effects of improper suppression and several other viral, host and environmental influences in causing HIV-1 induced CNS dysfunction. Addressing the above complexities is the vital for the field to move forward as it impacts both pathogenesis and therapeutics research directions. Division of AIDS Research, NIMH intends to bring together Neuro-AIDS researchers from around the globe and plan to have presentations from different groups in US, Europe and several LMICs in addition to involving investigators outside the field of Neuro-AIDS to help the field better utilize the recent advances in neuroscience to decipher the pathogenesis of Neuro-AIDS. This effort will help identify key scientific priorities for the field of Neuro-AIDS to move forward. We envision this to be Multi-IC effort, involving OAR, NINDS, NIDA, NIA, NICHD and NIMH. The meeting corresponds to NIMH DAR research priorities and the wider NIH mission. The meeting will be held at Fishers Lane, Twinbrook location.