Animal Models of HIV-Associated Painful Sensory Neuropathy

Painful distal sensory neuropathy is the most common neurological complication of HIV1 infection. There are several neuropathic pain syndromes associated with the disease; however, the most common is a sensory neuropathy called HIV sensory neuropathy (HIV-SN). HIV-SN can be subdivided into subacute or chronic distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) and subacute antiretroviral-induced toxic neuropathy (ATN). Both forms involve sensory loss and neuropathic pain. DSP occurs in up to 7–35% of HIV1-infected individuals and upwards of 34% of children infected with HIV1, while ATN develops following highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatment in up to 52% of patients. The mechanisms of HIV-SN remain unclear; however, the advent of several models of HIV1-associated peripheral neuropathy is helping unlock the mysteries surrounding HIV-SN. This chapter describes the known pathology of HIV1 and the resulting neuropathy syndromes, including descriptions of the models used to study this particular type of neuropathic pain.