Methamphetamine: A molecular and pathological exacerbate of HIV neurocognitive disorder

Abstract

The use of the recreational drug methamphetamine is becoming more widespread, and it is accompanied by unsafe sexual behaviours that increase the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This article reviews the available literature of the effect of methamphetamine on the HIV infected brain, and in particular the molecular disturbances and neuropathology associated within this cohort. Our molecular research indicates that methamphetamine and HIV have a synergistic pathological impact on neuronal cell injury and death, which may be mediated by an upregulation of interferon inducible genes observed within this group, thereby contributing to the neurocognitive deficits observed in clinical populations of HIV infected methamphetamine abusers.