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Updated: Oct 19, 2025

Transcutaneous Assessment of Renal Function in Conscious Rodents
Published on: March 26, 2016
Biomarkers of kidney function and cognitive ability: A Mendelian randomization study.
Erin L Richard1, Linda K McEvoy2, Steven Y Cao3
1Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, USA; Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, USA.
This study found no causal link between kidney function markers like serum uric acid (SUA) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and cognitive performance. However, higher albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) showed potential links to slower reaction times.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
Background:
- Kidney function markers (eGFR, albuminuria, SUA) are linked to cognitive ability.
- The causal relationship between these markers and cognition remains uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal effects of kidney function markers on cognitive performance using Mendelian randomization.
- To assess the impact of serum uric acid (SUA), albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) on various cognitive functions.
Main Methods:
- One-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis utilizing UK Biobank data.
- Employed polygenic scores for SUA, ACR, eGFRcre, and eGFRcys as instrumental variables.
- Assessed cognitive outcomes including reasoning, reaction time, and memory recall.
Main Results:
- No evidence of causal effects for SUA, eGFRcre, or eGFRcys on cognitive performance.
- Suggestive evidence indicated a relationship between genetically increased ACR and slower reaction time and poorer visual memory.
- ACR associations with visual memory were not consistently significant across all analyses.
Conclusions:
- Mendelian randomization study does not support causal links between SUA, eGFRcre, or eGFRcys and cognitive performance.
- Genetically elevated ACR showed associations with slower processing speed and visual memory, warranting further investigation in independent cohorts.
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