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Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Brain Structure and Function
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Brain Structure and Function

Emily J. Steinbach and Lyndsay A. Harshman
Frontiers in neurology, Vol.13, 797503
02/01/2022
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.797503
PMCID: PMC8913932
PMID: 35280279
url
https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.797503View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 37 million American adults. Adult-onset CKD is typically attributed to acquired comorbidities such as aging, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Conversely, congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract are the most common cause of CKD in children. Both adult and pediatric patients with CKD are at risk for neurocognitive dysfunction, particularly in the domain of executive function. The exact mechanism for neurocognitive dysfunction in CKD is not known; however, it is conceivable that the multisystemic effects of CKD—including hypertension, acidosis, anemia, proteinuria, and uremic milieu—exert a detrimental effect on the brain. Quantitative neuroimaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), provide a non-invasive way to understand the neurobiological underpinnings of cognitive dysfunction in CKD. Adult patients with CKD show differences in brain structure; however, much less is known about the impact of CKD on neurodevelopment in pediatric patients. Herein, this review will summarize current evidence of the impact of CKD on brain structure and function and will identify the critical areas for future research that are needed to better understand the modifiable risk factors for abnormal brain structure and function across both pediatric and adult CKD populations.
Neuroimaging brain structural abnormalities chronic kidney disease magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) neurocognition and behavior pediatric chronic kidney disease

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