[Brain atrophy and cognitive impairment in patients with chronic kidney disease]

Many recent reports have shown that prevalence of brain atrophy (BA) and cognitive impairment (CI) increases in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and is also associated with the severity of kidney dysfunction. Various risk factors such as dialysis-related factors, oxidative stress, anemia, brain ischemia, and uremic toxins are considered to involve in these conditions. We recently reported that CI in CKD mice were ameliorated by the treatment with tempol, an antioxidant drug, thorough inhibition of oxidative stress in the brain. Moreover, it has been reported that renal transplantation are effective in the improvement of CI; however, increase in hemodialysis by frequent hemodialysis had failed to improve CI in CKD patients. Further evidences are required to elucidate the pathogenesis of BA and CI in CKD.