A Nigerian scientist living in the United States, George Njoku, has raised concerns about a possible link between HIV and memory loss in people who have lived with the virus for a long time, even though they are taking antiretroviral drugs.
Njoku is a first-year PhD student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He explained that a protein made by HIV, called Tat, may still be affecting the brain even when the virus is controlled. This protein might stop the brain from clearing out harmful substances related to Alzheimer’s disease.
The Mayo Clinic says Alzheimer’s is a disease that slowly damages memory, thinking, and behavior.
The clinic also explains that Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, which is a general term for problems with thinking and memory.
The disease is caused by harmful proteins building up in the brain. These proteins form clumps and tangles that damage brain cells and eventually kill them.
Talking about his research, Njoku said people with HIV may be more likely to develop brain problems because the virus could interfere with microglia — special brain cells that clean out harmful substances like amyloid-beta (Aβ), which is linked to Alzheimer’s.
He said microglia usually remove Aβ using certain surface receptors, but the HIV Tat protein seems to block or damage these receptors by changing their shape or preventing them from reaching the cell surface.
Even if the brain produces the right receptors, Tat might trap them inside the cells or cause chemical changes that stop them from working properly.
Njoku’s research suggests that HIV not only stops the brain from clearing out Aβ but also damages the microglia’s internal systems, such as lysosomes and mitochondria, which help clean up waste. This can lead to toxic buildup, stress inside cells, and ongoing brain inflammation.
Njoku, who works in the fields of molecular medicine and neuroimmunology, is testing medicines that might help microglia work better again.
He also wants to find out if some current HIV drugs could be part of the problem and if new treatments can better protect the brain.
He said, “Our goal is to help people with HIV not just live longer, but also keep their brains healthy as they age.
”As part of his research, Njoku is using RNA sequencing to see how HIV, Tat, and Aβ affect microglia at the genetic level. This may help scientists discover new warning signs or treatments for brain disorders linked to HIV.
He said another major part of his project is finding ways to fix microglial function when HIV and Tat are present. He is testing drugs that might boost receptor function, help remove harmful proteins, or protect mitochondria.
He is also studying how current HIV treatments (called cART) affect brain cells. Although these drugs are key to controlling HIV, it’s not clear how they impact brain health.
By studying these processes, Njoku hopes to find which parts of the brain are being affected and possibly discover new ways to diagnose or treat these problems.
The main goal of his work is to understand how HIV causes the brain to age faster and how to keep people’s brains healthy as they live longer with the virus.
Even though antiretroviral drugs have made HIV a treatable long-term illness, Njoku says the effects on the brain must not be ignored.
He warned, “The brain should be the next big focus in HIV research.”
