Struyf T, et al. - Researchers undertook this prospective, community-based cohort study with 555 Malawian infants aged 8 weeks to 24 months, to evaluate longitudinal patterns as well as determinants of cognitive development in infants living with HIV, infants exposed to maternal HIV infection, and HIV-unexposed infants. They found that cognitive development observed during the first two years of life in Malawian infants exposed to HIV was similar to their unexposed peers, while that of HIV infected infants lagged behind from the start. To safeguard the cognitive development of children influenced by HIV, the two crucial steps are an early start of effective ART in all HIV infected mothers and infants, and the prevention of infant malnutrition.