This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Abstract
Background and Objectives Estimates of the prevalence (10%–60%) of cognitive impairment in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are too broad, and which domains of cognition are most affected is unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to investigate impairments across domains of cognitive functioning to provide a nuanced picture of research conducted to date into cognitive impairment after SCI.
Methods Results of peer-reviewed studies published in English between 1980 and 2021 comparing ≥20 participants with SCI with able-bodied controls were synthesized using meta-analysis. The primary outcomes were neurocognitive test scores categorized into 5 cognitive domains as listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: Complex Attention, Executive Functioning, Learning and Memory, Language, and Perceptual Motor Function. Two researchers independently assessed and verified extracted data to comply with meta-analytic reporting guidelines. Robust variance estimation meta-analysis was conducted to determine an overall pooled effect size across all cognitive domains using data extracted from studies. Using network meta-analysis, we synthesized eligible studies and made comparisons with the 5 domains of cognitive functioning serving as the outcomes and SCI as the condition.
Results Of 4,783 potential studies, 13 met final inclusion criteria. Studies met 6 of 8 quality assessment criteria generally. Results suggested that adults with SCI experience reduced cognitive functioning (effect size: −0.84; 95% CI −1.24 to −0.44, p < 0.001) compared with able-bodied individuals, with deficits mostly in attention (g = −0.64; 95% CI −0.92 to −0.38) and executive functioning (g = −0.61, 95% CI −0.89 to −0.04). Publication bias and high heterogeneity (I2: 86%) qualify these findings and highlight the need to improve research methods in this area.
Discussion Adults with SCI seem more likely than adults who are able-bodied to display cognitive impairments mostly in areas of attention and executive functioning. Research practices must become consistent to reduce heterogeneity so that the validity and reliability of the results of future studies into cognitive impairment after SCI improves.
Glossary
- DSM-5=
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition;
- MVC=
- motor vehicle collisions;
- NMA=
- Network meta-analysis;
- PRISMA=
- Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses;
- RVE=
- Robust variance estimation;
- SCI=
- spinal cord injury;
- TBI=
- traumatic brain injury
Footnotes
Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.
Submitted and externally peer reviewed. The handling editor was Rebecca Burch, MD.
- Received February 23, 2022.
- Accepted in final form May 25, 2022.
- © 2022 American Academy of Neurology
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
