The earliest symptoms are usually memory and concentration problems. A person often loses their train of thought easily. They may miss appointments and need to keep a list of things to do. Simple tasks become difficult and time-consuming. As the disease advances, the symptoms worsen, although the loss of memory and concentration remain the most noticeable problems.
Patients perform poorly on standard cognitive function tests used to diagnose dementia.
Motor control slows down, although it is usually less pronounced and lags behind the change in intellectual function. Eventually a person may begin to lose their balance and coordination, may start dropping things, may have problems walking, etc. It the very late stages, a person may not be able to walk at all and may be incontinent. In the end stage, patients with AIDS dementia complex are nearly vegetative and lie in bed unable to move and seemingly unaware of what is going on around them. Back to Top Pediatric AIDS Dementia Complex When AIDS dementia complex occurs in children who are infected with HIV, the symptoms are generally the same as in adults.