Factors Associated With Post-Stroke Cognitive Impairment: A Narrative Review

Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is a common and significant disorder affecting a considerable proportion of stroke patients. PSCI is a known factor that increases the risk of mortality, dependency, and institutionalization in stroke patients. The early prediction of PSCI and the implementation of cognitive rehabilitation could enhance the quality of life of stroke patients and reduce the burden on their families. It is therefore imperative to identify risk factors for PSCIs in the early stages of stroke and to implement early cognitive rehabilitation with an appropriate prognosis. A number of risk factors for PSCI can be identified in patient characteristics, clinical findings, and imaging findings. It is unfortunate that the majority of factors associated with PSCI are non-modifiable. However, the only modifiable factor that can be controlled is the management of stroke risk factors for secondary prevention. Further research is needed to elucidate the potential benefits of various cognitive rehabilitation programs for the prevention and improvement of PSCI.