Relevance of chronic kidney disease to asymptomatic cerebrovascular diseases and cognitive dysfunction

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been accepted as an emerging cardiovascular risk factor, and it is being increasingly investigated with respect to its relevance to cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) related magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities (including lacunae, white matter lesions, cerebral microbleeds, and brain atrophy), as well as to cognitive impairment. Although the mechanisms underlying the pathological association between kidney dysfunction and SVD or cognition remain unclear, several hypotheses might explain such associations (i.e., the similarity of the vascular bed function of the kidney and brain, endothelial dysfunction, and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system). Previous studies demonstrated clinical relevance of CKD to SVD and cognition might indicate that treatment of CKD might control age-related degenerative processes of the brain.