Final answer:
Neurocognitive Disorder due to HIV typically presents with gradual cognitive decline, apathy, motor difficulties, and mood changes. It is distinguished by the involvement of subcortical structures leading to slower cognitive processing and coordination issues. This differentiates it from other neurodegenerative disorders that may feature cortical involvement or different motor symptoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The key differentiating features of Neurocognitive Disorder due to HIV include gradual cognitive decline, apathy, motor difficulties, and mood changes. While acute HIV infection may present with non-specific, flu-like symptoms, chronic HIV infection can lead to a long period without symptoms before advancing towards AIDS. Stage 3 or AIDS is characterized by a severely damaged immune system with common symptoms that include fever, weight loss, swollen lymph glands, and perhaps most notably in the context of neurocognitive disorders, dementia complex.
The neurocognitive impairment associated with HIV typically involves subcortical structures of the brain, leading to slower information processing, difficulty with concentration, and motor coordination problems, rather than the cortical involvement often seen in Alzheimer's disease, which leads to significant memory deficits. The presence of apathy, motor difficulties, and mood changes, in addition to cognitive decline, differentiates it from other neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease, which, while also involving motor issues, tends to present with resting tremors, bradykinesia, and muscular rigidity. Given these distinctions, the correct answer to the student's question is option (b): Gradual cognitive decline, apathy, motor difficulties, and mood changes.