AUTHOR=Steinbach Emily J. , Harshman Lyndsay A. 

TITLE=Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Brain Structure and Function

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.797503

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2022.797503

ISSN=1664-2295

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 has yet to be elucidated; 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. Use of quantitative neuroimaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide a non-invasive opportunity to understand the neurobiological underpinnings of cognitive dysfunction in CKD. Differences in brain structure have been described in adult patients with CKD; however, much less is known about the impact of CKD on neurodevelopment in pediatric patients. Herein, this review will provide current evidence to the impact of CKD on brain structure and function and identify critical areas for future research necessary to better understand modifiable risk factors for abnormal brain structure and function across both pediatric and adult CKD populations.