Traumatic brain injury （TBI） can cause a series of complex pathophysiological changes including abnormal metabolism of brain substances， leading to long-and short-term symptoms such as headache， cognitive impairment， motor disturbance， and emotional disorders， while cognitive impairment is an important factor hindering the recovery of the quality of daily life of TBI patients and delaying their return to society. Hydrogen proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy （¹H-MRS） can perform noninvasive detection of brain tissue metabolism in patients with acute or chronic brain injury and has the value of assisting diagnosis and predicting long-term functional prognosis. This article summarizes the current status and prospects of the application of ¹H-MRS in cognitive impairment after TBI.