Neurological complications of HIV infection

After the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the treatment of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection in 1996, neurological complications of this worldwide infectious disease declined in incidence and prevalence. During the following years however, prevalence and finally also incidence, especially of HIV-associated dementia and its precursor stages, rose again. Nowadays neurologists are confronted with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders, depression, polyneuropathies and muscle disease, opportunistic brain infections (toxoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, cytomegalovirus infection, progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy), rising rates of neurosyphilis, and the so-called immune reconstitution syndrome which therefore are topics of this review.