SEVERE MENTAL-ILLNESS AND HIV-RELATED MEDICAL AND NEUROPSYCHIATRIC SEQUELAE

Medical and neuropsychiatric sequelae of HIV infection present a spect rum of diagnostic and treatment challenges to mental health clinicians . Both HIV and the many opportunistic infections that manifest in pati ents due to their immunocompromised state also can affect the central nervous system (CNS). Thus, mental health clinicians need to be famili ar with the diagnosis and management of HIV-related medical and psychi atric complications. This article provides an overview of the CNS-rela ted manifestations resembling from HIV disease, including HIV-related dementia, psychotic disorders, delirium CNS opportunistic infections a nd tumors, systemic abnormalities, psychoactive substances, and the ad verse effects of certain medical treatments. Treatment strategies for individuals with HIV disease and comorbid severe mental illness are ou tlined and recommendations for future research are offered. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science Ltd.