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Many Americans develop the forgetfulness and disorientation of dementia as they reach old age. But patients battling HIV and its eventual morph into aids also often suffer dementia-like symptoms. Now University of Florida researchers have discovered that white blood cells that normally seek out and kill infections in healthy people, may actually be the cause of brain degeneration and dementia in some HIV and AIDS patients. The U-F scientists discovered that the cells, known as macrophages (mack-roe-fayj-ezz), come to the rescue and crowd into the temporal lobe of the brain, in an attempt to oust the virus. But as the first cells call for reinforcements, the brain tissue becomes overcrowded and begins to degenerate.

Dr. Marco Salemi / UF pathology researcher

“So in a way it’s not the virus that directly causes dementia. It’s a sort of indirect mechanism. The virus infects the macrophages, the macrophages cause the inflammation, the inflammation is ultimately responsible for the neuro-degeneration of the temporal lobe.”

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The temporal lobe of the brain is the main area associated with the development of dementia, and in most HIV patients it’s infected one-hundred times faster than other parts of the brain and the body. Researchers say further study of the routes immune cells take across the brain could help experts find ways to block the migration and prevent or slow down the progress of HIV-associated dementia.

Dr. Marco Salemi / UF pathology researcher

“We hope that this will be a first step to really have a thorough description of all the events that over time in this particular case that can lead to the establishment of dementia.”

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At the University of Florida Health Science Center, I’m Mike Garrison