A Comprehensive Review of the Importance of the Main Comorbidities in Developing Cognitive Disorders in Patients With Spinal Cord Injuries.

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) refer to lesions in the spinal cord due to direct trauma (traumatic SCI-TSCI), such as vehicle accidents, falls, and violent events, or other pathological conditions (non-traumatic SCI) such as metabolic disorders, inflammation, or degenerative disorders. Depending on the location of the injury, patients may experience movement and/or sense disabilities in their lower limbs, torso, or upper limbs. Even though poorly studied, it has been found that such patients have a higher risk of developing cognitive disorders, such as deficits in concentration, short and long memory, comprehension, and problem-solving, as well as mental deficits in the form of difficulty socializing and expressing emotions. The main contributing factor of cognitive impairment in patients with SCI has been identified as a traumatic brain injury (TBI), but other comorbidities play an important role. In spite of the correlation that has been found between certain comorbidities and cognitive impairment in patients with SCI, further investigation into the importance of these pathological states as well as future research into the approach of these patients is necessary.