Galantamine showed no clear cognitive advantage in people whose HIV was suppressed by treatment
The placebo-controlled trial detected neither a cognitive benefit nor an overall reduction in inflammation, with no difference by smoking status.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
In people whose HIV was suppressed by antiretroviral therapy, galantamine did not show a cognitive advantage over placebo. No difference by smoking status was detected. Inflammation did not improve overall, and some inflammatory measures increased. These abstract-based findings concern the studied population and treatment period; they do not establish that the treatments have identical effects.
The abstract does not report participant numbers, dosing or adverse-event results. The cognitive confidence interval allows effects in either direction, so the nonsignificant finding does not prove equivalence.
What researchers found
Adjusted standardized difference in combined cognitive test score
Galantamine versus placebo after 12 weeks of treatment; P = 0.82. Reported on a standardized score scale.
What was tested
The researchers tested whether galantamine could improve cognition directly and through reduced inflammation. They measured a combined cognitive test score alongside immune-cell and blood markers, and explored whether smoking status modified the results.
Immune findings were mixed
No differences were detected in many immune markers, while an immune-cell receptor measure and several pro-inflammatory cytokines increased with galantamine. These laboratory findings do not by themselves establish changes in illness or everyday functioning.
The original publication
Galantamine for 12 weeks does not improve neurocognition or immune activation in ART-suppressed people with HIV.
Yadav A, Stephens-Shields AJ, Karaj A et al.
AIDS · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41427614
- Record checked
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