Influencing factors of cognitive impairment in patients with thalassemia: a comprehensive review

Cognitive impairment in patients with thalassemia includes deficits in spatial memory, computing power, executive operation, emotional communication, and other domains. Several contributing factors have been identified, including white matter damage, ischemia, hypoxia, iron deposition in the brain, and accelerated aging. Iron overload has recently emerged as a research hotspot. However, the exact location, extent, and mechanism of cerebral iron deposition remain unclear. Despite many challenges in the current research, greater breakthroughs are expected in the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive dysfunction in thalassemia, ultimately improving patients' quality of life.