Immune-compromised people with HIV, APOE4 gene may have a compounded risk for Alzheimer’s

HIV
Scanning electromicrograph of an HIV-infected T cell. Credit: NIAID

People living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who have a history of severe immunosuppression and at least one copy of the Alzheimer’s disease-related gene variant APOE4, might see a compounded adverse effect on the circuitry that impacts memory. This could eventually lead to an increased risk for dementia after age 65, according to Georgetown University Medical Center investigators and colleagues.

The researchers used MRI scans to examine the brain, with a focus on two regions—the hippocampus, which is critical for and is often affected in Alzheimer’s disease, and the

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