Retinoids and Opioids: Factors in the Development of HIV-Related Neurological Disease

Neurological disease occurs frequently in HIV-infected individuals and may occur at even higher rates among infected drug users. Among the potential mechanisms that promote such impairment, retinoid deficiency may have selective effects that could both lead to alterations in immune function and enhanced replication of HIV. Studies are currently underway to examine the possible selective effects of retinoid receptor activation and interactions with opioids on the pathogenesis of neurological disease in the transgenic rat model of HIV infection.