Objective To evaluate the relation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 ribonucleic acid (RNA) loads in cerebrospinal fluid with central neurological diseases. Methods The inpatients with HIV-1 infection diagnosed by Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu between January 1st, 2015 and March 1st, 2018 were retrospectively included. The included patients were divided into central neurological disease group and non-central neurological disease group, and high viral load group and low viral load group. The demographic data, CD4+ T lymphocyte count, routine detection of cerebrospinal fluid, HIV RNA load in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of patients with and without central neurological diseases were observed and compared.Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for central neurological diseases. Results A total of 367 patients were included. In the central neurological disease group, 210 cases (57.22%) were complicated with central neurological diseases, and cryptococcus infection was the most. Compared with the non-central neurological disease group, the increase rate of cerebrospinal fluid cell counts, cerebrospinal fluid cell counts, cerebrospinal fluid HIV RNA positivity and cerebrospinal fluid HIV RNA load were higher in the central neurological disease group (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that HIV RNA load in cerebrospinal fluid≥100 000 copies/mL and CD4+ T lymphocyte count<200 cells/mm3 were risk factors for central neurological diseases. Conclusion Cerebrospinal fluid HIV RNA load≥100 000 copies/mL is an independent risk factor for HIV/AIDS patients with central neurological diseases and clinical treatment should take this factor into consideration to reasonably optimize the selection of antiretroviral therapy.