An overview on central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS-TB) focusing on cognitive impairments

One of the most serious clinical manifestations of tuberculosis (TB) is the central nervous system (CNS) presentation, which results in neurological disorders and cognitive impairments that may lead to reduced social skills. Few studies have assessed TB neuropsychological symptoms after infection. This review article investigated the incidence and spectrum of cognitive impairment related to complications in patients with CNS-TB and compiled data on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease. An extensive literature review was performed, and a total of 286 published studies were selected for manual screening. For analysis purposes, 43 studies were included in this review. CNS-TB mainly affects young children and is fatal in over 50% of cases, with survivors showing high morbidity. The characteristics of this disease include meningitis and brain tissue granulomas. This leads to extensive neurological involvement, resulting in a complex mechanism that alters the structure and composition of cells in the brain including the cerebellum and spinal cord. It also impairs language development, reading, and learning complex tasks, and therefore affects the patient's social adjustment. The results of our review provide information connecting the basis of neuroscience and clinical medicine, especially childcare. Furthermore, early diagnosis is imperative to prevent serious cognitive consequences of TB in the developing CNS.