Beau Ances, PhD

Dr. Beau Ances is member of the American Academy of Neurology, Society of Neuroscience, International Society for NeuroVirology, Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, International Society for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Human Brain Mapping Society. He serves as peer reviewer for journals including Lancet Neurology, Brain, Journal of Neuroscience, Neurology, Annals of Neurology, Archives of Neurology, NeuroImage, Human Brian Mapping, and Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.

In the U.S., HIV infection affects nearly 1 million people. HIV quickly crosses the blood brain barrier soon after infection and reservoir of HIV develops in the brain leading to HIV associated neurocognitive impairment (HAND) – impairments in neurocognition, slowed motor movements, and behavioral disturbances. Research in the Ances laboratory and collaborative group is focused on the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for HAND.

More HIV infected (HIV+) individuals are living longer due to the introduction of medications for treating the virus, combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). While the overall incidence (the number of new cases) of HAND has not changed since cART, the prevalence (the total number of cases) of HAND has risen with ~20% of all HIV+ subjects eventually developing HAND. Even mild forms of HAND impair daily functioning, reduce quality of life, and cause greater unemployment. Since HAND is a significant burden to HIV infected persons, caregivers, and the healthcare system, the development of effective treatment strategies for diagnosing and treating HAND are of great public health importance.