Extrahepatic manifestations are common in people with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Cognitive changes are pointed out, but the mechanisms are still uncertain. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze studies involving spectroscopic magnetic resonance in people infected with HCV, which also included cognitive tests. The research occurred in six databases (Directory of Open Access Journals, Lilacs, Medcaribe, Medline, Scielo and ScienceDirect) and the selection of studies was carried out in two stages: search for titles and abstracts, then reading of the full articles, excluding those that did not meet the eligibility criteria. 12,888 titles and abstracts were selected, but only 6 articles were included in the review. Impairments in attention, concentration, speed of information processing, memory, verbal fluency and executive functions were identified as well as an increase in the Cho/Cr and mI/Cr ratios and a reduction in the NAA/Cr ratio in some included studies. Longitudinal studies, with more homogeneous samples and methods, as well as with better controlled confounding factors, are necessary to adequately identify the effect of HCV on the brain.
Keywords: Cognition; cognitive dysfunction; hepatitis c; hepatitis c chronic; magnetic resonance spectroscopy.