Do alcohol and cocaine abuse alter the course of HIV-associated dementia complex?

Although psychoactive drugs are commonly used by AIDS patients, it is uncle ar whether commonly abused drugs, such as cocaine and ethanol, affect the c ourse of HPV-associated dementia (HADC). Epidemiological studies have resul ted in conflicting conclusions as to,what role, if any, abused drugs play i nn HADC, Inn this review we discuss the clinical and pathological evidence that cocaine and ethanol might exacerbate the detrimental effects of HIV in fection on the brain. We also review studies of cocaine and ethanol effects on various components of the immune system both in the presence and absenc e of retroviral infection, Data from these studies indicate that cocaine an d ethanol have profound effects on the immune system that, in many respects , are enhanced by retroviral infection. We conclude that abused drugs likel y affect the course of HADC but that proof awaits an examination of their i nteractive effects in an appropriate ill vivo system of retroviral encephal itis.