Preservation of cognitive function after long-term tetraplegia.

The claim of a significant relationship between pulmonary peak expiratory flow rate and cognitive decline in normal aging is bound to raise the question of whether accelerated cognitive decline would be an automatic consequence of long-term tetraplegia, with its significant effects on normal respiratory function. We present a case series of three persons with long-term tetraplegia (11, 15, and 21 yr) comparing their cognitive test results (short-term and working memory, the ability to inhibit interference, and cognitive processing speed) with scores for age-matched noninjured adults. Results showed that long-term tetraplegia, even with compromised respiration, does not inevitably lead to decline in fundamental cognitive functions relative to age-matched noninjured controls.