It is important to address these conditions and treat them appropriately as they develop so that they won't get in the way of maintaining your physical health. At the recent Community Forum, Drs. Philip Bialer and Ron Wenchel discussed treatments for psychiatric conditions and some of the possible drug interactions between these treatments and HIV medications. This summary will introduce common psychiatric conditions and treatments, and then examine the drug interactions presented at the Forum. Cognitive Impairment and Dementia - People with advanced HIV sometimes experience cognitive impairment, a condition marked by difficulty with processes related to knowing, thinking, learning, and judging.
Cognitive impairment can result in poor concentration and decreased motor skills.
Tests that evaluate memory, problem solving skills, and information processing are used to diagnose cognitive impairment. Dementia is a general loss of intellectual abilities, including memory, judgment, and abstract thinking skills, usually accompanied by changes in personality. Manic Syndrome - Mental and physical hyperactivity, accompanied by disorganized behavior and elevated or irritated mood, characterizes manic syndrome. Although estimates on the prevalence of depression in people with HIV vary, depressive disorder is a common diagnosis for this population. Causes of depression can be external, like the multiple stresses of living with HIV, or can be manifestations of drug or alcohol abuse or central nervous system disease.