B.R.A.I.N in People Living With HIV Study

People living with HIV (PLWH) often have memory and thinking problems, which can range from mild to severe. These problems, which are called neurocognitive impairment (NCI), can appear even when PLWH are taking medicine to manage their HIV.

PLWH who are experiencing NCI can have difficulties managing everyday activities. For instance, they might not remember to take their medicine on time, they might struggle to manage their money properly, and they might even be at a higher risk of passing HIV on to other. Ultimately, PLWH who are experiencing NCI might not enjoy life as much as others do.

Currently, there are no specific medicines designed to treat NCI in PLWH. There are, however, some useful memory and thinking strategies that can help improve cognitive abilities. These strategies are called cognitive remediation (CR).

In South Africa, there are many PLWH. Unfortunately, the country does not have clear plans for identifying and managing NCI in PLWH. It's difficult to use CR in South Africa because of cultural differences between where the strategies were developed and the patients who might need to use it, limited healthcare resources, and HIV clinics not having enough information about NCI.

There are, however, some promising ways to deal with these issues. For example, it can be helpful to involve regular counselors and to use simple tests on mobile phones to find people who need assistance. With some effort and creativity, investigators can improve the situation and help PLWH lead better lives.

The proposed study is a unique opportunity to find new ways to help PLWH and others with brain-related diseases who might be experiencing NCI. Investigators want to explore ways to use cognitive exercises to improve thinking abilities. This study will be the first of its kind because investigators will adapt these exercises to fit the cultures and languages of South Africa, where many people are affected by HIV and NCI.

By doing this research, investigators hope to make important progress in addressing NCI in HIV and similar conditions. Investigators will learn how to make these cognitive exercises work best in South Africa's public clinics, and this knowledge can help people with NCI live better lives. Our goal is to improve healthcare not only in South Africa but also in other parts of the world that might be facing similar challenges with improving the lives of PLWH.