Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) are studying the potential cognitive impacts HIV may have on people over 60, according to the Bay Area Reporter (ebar.com, 5/8).

“We’d like to know if [HIV positive people] are likely to have more problems with memory and thinking, and if they are, why?” said Dr. Victor Valcour, adjunct clinical instructor at UCSF’s Memory and Aging Center.

According to the article, HIV and the medications that treat it may cause insulin resistance, which could lead to diabetes. Diabetes, in turn, can lead to changes in brain function that cause cognitive problems, as can other metabolic diseases.