Researchers yesterday reported that a "cocktail" of HIV-treatment drugs used in AIDS patients also appeared to halt brain damage caused by human immunodeficiency virus as a side effect.

Drug combinations known as HAART(highly active antiretroviral therapy) are often used in AIDS patients in order to slow down the effects of the disease. Although HAART-based mixed treatments can highly suppress the effects from AIDS, it cannot rid the body of the virus completely. AIDS, as we all probably know, still has no known cure.

In addition to harming the body's immune defenses, HIV can also affect the brain and nerves. But, with HAART treatments, the scientists that made this study public stated that some of the drugs that comprise HAART treatment methods can indeed get into the brain and help protect it, although not all of the drugs used in the cocktail could be helpful there.