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World J Psychiatry. Apr 19, 2026; 16(4): 115373
Published online Apr 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i4.115373
Published online Apr 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i4.115373
Multidimensional cognitive impairment in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis: A cross-sectional study
Iris Campos Lucas, Norma Arteiro Filgueira, Ana Lucia Domingues, Edmundo Pessoa Lopes, Ianca Karine Prudencio Albuquerque, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Centro de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, Pernambuco, Brazil
Iris Campos Lucas, Norma Arteiro Filgueira, Ana Lucia Domingues, Edmundo Pessoa Lopes, Serviço de Gastroenterologia, Hospital das Clínicas/EBSERH, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, Pernambuco, B, Recife 50670-901, Pernambuco, Brazil
Breno José Alencar Pires Barbosa, Área de Neuropsiquiatria, Centro de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, Pernambuco, Brazil
Author contributions: Lucas IC, Filgueira NA, and Lopes EP conceptualized and refined the study design; Lucas IC collected the clinical data, performed the psychometric tests, and drafted the manuscript; Domingues AL conducted the ultrasound examinations; Lucas IC and Albuquerque IKP analyzed the data and performed the statistical analyses; Filgueira NA, Domingues AL, Lopes EP, and Barbosa BJAP critically reviewed and revised the manuscript. And all authors read and approved the definitive version of the manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: The study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (No. 4.958.385).
Informed consent statement: Prior to inclusion, written informed consent was secured from every participant.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: The datasets supporting the conclusions of this article are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Data are not publicly available to protect participants’ privacy.
Corresponding author: Iris Campos Lucas, PhD, Professor, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Centro de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, No. 1235 Cidade Universitária, Recife 50670-901, Pernambuco, Brazil. iriscamposlucas@gmail.com
Received: October 16, 2025
Revised: November 14, 2025
Accepted: December 25, 2025
Published online: April 19, 2026
Processing time: 166 Days and 5 Hours
Revised: November 14, 2025
Accepted: December 25, 2025
Published online: April 19, 2026
Processing time: 166 Days and 5 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Cognitive impairment in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis goes well beyond minimal hepatic encephalopathy, affecting areas such as visuospatial abilities, working memory, and inhibitory control. Our study, using a brief, culturally adapted assessment battery, found over two-thirds of patients impaired in these domains, often independent of portosystemic shunt presence. These findings call for a paradigm shift from solely minimal hepatic encephalopathy-focused screening to comprehensive, multidimensional cognitive assessment in hepatosplenic schistosomiasis, enabling earlier detection and a more holistic approach to management in endemic, low-resource settings.