Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is the main cause of vascular cognitive impairment. Its mechanism is not yet fully clear, which may be associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction and the destruction of blood-brain barrier. In recent years, some studies have been conducted on biomarkers of cognitive impairment in patients with CSVD. This article reviews the biomarkers of cognitive impairment in patients with CSVD from the aspects of inflammatory response, oxidative stress, vascular endothelial dysfunction, endocrine, nervous system damage, and microRNAs.