Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a medical emergency characterized by the accumulation of blood in the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain. The acute treatment of aSAH is well documented but less is known about the long-term effects of aSAH on cognition and day-to-day functioning. We reviewed all studies in the past 10 years that have focused on the effects of aSAH on cognition and day-to-day functioning. Sixty-one empirical studies examining cognitive and functional outcome in patients with aSAH met inclusion criteria. Survivors of aSAH commonly experience deficits in memory, executive function, and language. These cognitive impairments interact to affect patients' day-to-day functioning, including activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, return to work, and quality of life. Deficits in cognition and day-to-day functioning are further compounded by depression, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Much remains to be learned about the brain changes underlying cognitive and functional deficits, including the role of diffuse brain damage and secondary complications like vasospasm and elevated intracranial pressure. A consideration of these issues is necessary to obtain a better understanding of how aSAH affects cognition and day-to-day functioning in the long-term.
