Investigating the role of inflammatory and neuronal repair genes in the neurological sequelae of HIV infection

Abstract

This thesis investigates factors that influence whether an HIV patient experiences sensory neuropathy or neurocognitive decline. I studied patients treated in Indonesia and South Africa. Genotypes that affect inflammation and neuronal repair influenced susceptibility to both neurological conditions. I used skin biopsies from Indonesian patients to show that proteins encoded by these genes are expressed by inflammatory cells around nerves damaged by neuropathy. This thesis identifies individuals at risk and provides insight into pathogenic mechanisms.