HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection is related to several neuropsychiatric complications, such as dementia, encephalopathy, psychosis, as well as, opportunistic infections of the central nervous system (CNS). The discovery of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has limited these conditions and extended the life span of infected patients into a chronic illness, but it is also associated with neuropsychiatric adverse effects.

To review the literature on the most common neuropsychiatric complications of the ART, since it can be difficult to distinguish drugs toxicity, the effects of the virus, immune system and psycho-social events.

The authors have conducted an online search in PubMed with the terms: “Psychiatry”, “HIV”, “adverse effects” and “antiretroviral drugs” from 2011 until 2016. From the outcome were collected, analyzed and summarized the articles considered to be relevant.

The antiretroviral therapy (ART) are associated with a numerous adverse effects on the central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as, metabolic, gastrointestinal, cardiac, and other toxicities. The neuropsychiatric effects are common and highly variable, including depression, cognitive impairment and sleep disturbance. The nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are one of the two classes of antiviral drugs most frequently associated with neuropsychiatric complications.

The occurrence of new-onset conditions related to ART makes it difficult to determine the association between psychiatric disorders and ART adverse effects, and given the fact that patients commit to lifelong therapy, as well as, they can diminish quality of life; it makes these assessment important in treating these conditions.