The Journal of Practical Medicine ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (17): 3074-3082.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2026.17.005

• Chronic Disease Control • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Mechanistic research and intervention strategies on gut microbiota modulating microglia via the gut-brain axis in hiv-associated neurocognitive disorders

Xuanying Li1,2, Danni Wang1,2,3(), Guangzong Jia1,2, Chenglin Peng1,2, Yunmengtong Su1,2, Huijun Guo1,3, Zhen Liu1,3   

  1. 1. AIDS Clinical Research Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Zhengzhou 450000,Henan,China
    2. The First Clinical Medical College,Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Zhengzhou 450046,Henan,China
    3. Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine for the Prevention and Control of Viral Diseases in Henan Province,Zhengzhou 450000,Henan,China
  • Received:2026-06-08 Online:2026-09-10 Published:2026-10-10
  • Contact: Danni Wang
  • About author:

    Li Xuanying consulted relevant referencesand wrote the article. Jia Guangzong, Peng Chenglin and Su Yunmengtong revisedthe article. Wang Danni, Guo Huijun and Liu Zhen gave the guidance and reviewed the article. All authors read and approved the final manuscript as submitted.

Abstract:

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) is a prevalent chronic neurological complication among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), clinically characterized by cognitive impairment that significantly reduces patients' quality of life and compromises antiretroviral treatment adherence. In recent decades, accumulating evidence has confirmed that microglia are core mediators of neuroinflammation and neuronal injury in the pathogenesis of HAND. Concurrently, research on the regulatory role of gut microbiota in central nervous system homeostasis via the gut-brain axis has attracted growing scholarly attention. This systematic review elaborates on the mechanisms by which gut microbiota modulate the metabolism and functional polarization of microglia by mediating gut-brain crosstalk, thereby influencing the onset and progression of HAND. It also summarizes existing HAND intervention strategies from the gut-brain axis perspective, aiming to provide novel insights for the mechanistic investigation and clinical prevention and treatment of HAND.

Key words: gut microbiota, microglial cells, HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder, neuroinflammation

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