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The brain in AIDS: central nervous system HIV-1 infection and AIDS dementia complex
Price RW, Brew B, Sidtis J, Rosenblum M, Scheck AC, Cleary P.. Science (New York, N.Y.), 1988-02-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is frequently complicated in its late stages by the AIDS dementia complex, a neurological syndrome characterized by abnormalities in cognition, motor performance, and behavior. This dementia is due partially or wholly to a direct effect of the virus on the brain rather than to opportunistic infection, but its pathogenesis is not well understood. Productive HIV-1 brain infection is detected only in a subset of patients and is confined largely or exclusively to macrophages, microglia, and derivative multinucleated cells that are formed by virus-induced cell fusion.
Key findings
- This dementia is due partially or wholly to a direct effect of the virus on the brain rather than to opportunistic infection, but its pathogenesis is not well understood.
- Productive HIV-1 brain infection is detected only in a subset of patients and is confined largely or exclusively to macrophages, microglia, and derivative multinucleated cells that are formed by virus-induced cell fusion.
- Absence of cytolytic infection of neurons, oligodentrocytes, and astrocytes has focused attention on the possible role of indirect mechanisms of brain dysfunction related to either virus or cell-coded toxins.
- Delayed development of the AIDS dementia complex, despite both early exposure of the nervous system to HIV-1 and chronic leptomeningeal infection, indicates that although this virus is "neurotropic," it is relatively nonpathogenic for the brain in the absence of immunosuppression.
Why it matters
This paper describes the AIDS dementia complex, a neurological syndrome caused largely by direct HIV-1 infection of the brain, with productive infection confined mainly to macrophages, microglia and related multinucleated cells. It concerns HIV-associated dementia, not Alzheimer's disease, and reports no Alzheimer's treatment, cure or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a top-tier journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 10 / 10 | Tier 1 — top-tier general journal (Science (New York, N.Y.)) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Science: journal h-index 1,754 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1988 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,249 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 31.2 citations a year over 40 year(s) since 1988 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 22.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 10 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 10 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Paul D. Cleary: h-index 96 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 3277272) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Price, R. W., Brew, B., Sidtis, J., Rosenblum, M., Scheck, A. C., & Cleary, P. (1988). The brain in AIDS: central nervous system HIV-1 infection and AIDS dementia complex. Science (New York, N.Y.). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.3277272
Vancouver
Price RW, Brew B, Sidtis J, Rosenblum M, Scheck AC, Cleary P. The brain in AIDS: central nervous system HIV-1 infection and AIDS dementia complex. Science (New York, N.Y.). 1988. doi:10.1126/science.3277272. PMID: 3277272.
BibTeX
@article{price1988-3277272,
author = {Price, R. W. and Brew, B. and Sidtis, J. and Rosenblum, M. and Scheck, A. C. and Cleary, P.},
title = {{The brain in AIDS: central nervous system HIV-1 infection and AIDS dementia complex}},
journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
year = {1988},
doi = {10.1126/science.3277272},
pmid = {3277272},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1126/science.3277272}
}
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