HIV and cognitive health: what the WHO says

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Your question is well-informed, and the answer is, essentially, reassuring: if you have well-controlled HIV with therapy, you are already doing the most important thing for your brain. Why this topic exists Untreated HIV can affect the central nervous system, and before modern therapies, cognitive complications were common. With current treatments and sustained viral suppression, these severe complications have become rare — but research continues to study subtle long-term effects, especially in those who have lived with HIV for decades. This is why the topic appears in WHO guidelines. What the guidelines say Two things. First, the foundation: antiretroviral therapy should be initiated and maintained in all people with HIV, with the goal of viral suppression — this is unwavering. Second, specifically: to reduce the risk of cognitive decline, there is not enough evidence to prefer one therapeutic combination over another — the regimen should be chosen based on disease control and patient preferences, as is already standard practice. In other words: there is no proven "neuroprotective regimen" to ask your doctor for. What you can do — the same as everyone else, with a note The prevention strategies with the best evidence apply to you exactly as they do to the general population: physical activity, not smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, a balanced diet, an active social life, and control of blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol. The specific note: some people who have lived

HIV and cognitive health: what the WHO says

Why this topic exists

What the guidelines say

What you can do — the same as everyone else, with a note

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