How is it treated?

Just as anti-HIV medications are the best tools to keep viral load undetectable and to keep the immune system healthy, they are also the most effective treatments for ADC. However, some anti-HIV drugs are more effective than others. Not all of the anti-HIV drugs are able to cross from the bloodstream into the brain. This is because the brain is protected by the "blood-brain barrier" – a tight mesh of cells that prevent many organisms and chemicals (including medications) from entering into the brain.

This is a list of anti-HIV drugs that do cross the blood-brain barrier and may help stop or slow HIV damage in the brain:

Anti-HIV Drugs That Cross the Blood-Brain Barrier
	Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs): Retrovir® (AZT) Zerit® (d4T) Epivir® (3TC) Ziagen® (abacavir)
	Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs): Viramune® (nevirapine) - high levels of this drug can cross into the brain Sustiva® (efavirenz)
	Protease Inhibitors (PIs): Agenerase® (amprenavir)

Retrovir® (AZT) was one of the first drugs studied for the treatment of ADC. Clinical trials found that it was helpful for patients with ADC. Based on these results, experts agree that other drugs that cross the blood-brain barrier – especially if they are used in combination – can help halt or reverse many of the symptoms associated with ADC.

While anti-HIV drugs can treat the underlying cause of ADC, they may not effectively treat the symptoms. Some people may see their symptoms disappear slowly. Others may simply not get any worse. Sometimes, symptoms of ADC can actually become worse. Thus, it might be necessary to use additional treatments to help manage these symptoms.

Some of the drugs that have been shown to be effective include:

Possible Treatments for the Symptoms of ADC
	Haloperidol (Haldol®): Is used to treat a variety of symptoms frequently seen in dementia.
	Methylphenidate (Ritalin®): Most commonly used to treat attention deficit disorder in children. It can also be used to help people with dementia to maintain their concentration.
	Chlorpromazine (Thorazine®) and thioridazine (Mellaril®): These are anti-psychotic drugs and can be used to control agitation and to stabilize severe behavior problems.
	Lorazepam (Ativan®) and diazepam (Valium®): Anti-anxiety/sedative drugs.
	Antidepressants: These include fluoxetine (Prozac®) and bupropion (Wellbutrin®). Antidepressants can help boost (or prevent) important electrical impulses in the brain. This may help alleviate behavioral and emotional symptoms of ADC.

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