In 10 children infected by HIV at birth, who presented early and severe immunodeficiency encephalopathy, the lesions observed in the central nervous system were different from those found in adults. Using standard neuropathological techniques, the main abnormalities were white matter palor and atrophy, pyramidal tract demyelination, moderate perivascular inflammation, numerous calcifications of blood vessels in basal ganglia, white matter and occasional in the cortex, few opportunistic infections including cytomegalovirus ventriculitis, polymorphonuclear microabcessses and aspergillus abscesses; no toxoplasma was detected. An 18-month-old girl presented with an angiocentric lymphoproliferative disorder in central and peripheral nervous system and muscle, with predominance of B cells. In most cases, low levels of HIV replication were detected in brain tissue, as demonstrated by the presence of only few microglial nodules and giant cells, feeble detection of HIV p24 and p17 antigens by immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization of HIV DNA and RNA and polymerase chain reaction, despite severe clinical encephalopathy. Zidovudine did not improve any patient. In children with severe AIDS encephalopathy, HIV might not be directly implicated in the central nervous system lesions: an intermediate factor such as cytokines or another toxic substance secreted by activated macrophages and/or lymphocytes, could induce severe lesions in the central nervous system and minor pathology of the peripheral nervous system and muscles.