Published on: August 7, 2015
by EurekAlert:
Protecting kidney health may help safeguard the brain.
Highlights
Impaired kidney function may lead to decreased blood flow to the brain, and ultimately to the occurrence of stroke or dementia. The findings, which come from a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), suggest that maintaining optimal kidney health can provide benefits to the brain.
Stroke and dementia are more common in patients with chronic kidney disease than in individuals in the general population, but it’s unclear why. To investigate a potential kidney-brain link, M. Arfan Ikram, MD, PhD, Sanaz Sedaghat, MSc (Erasmus University Medical Center, in the Netherlands), and their colleagues examined information on 2645 participants in the population-based Rotterdam Study, looking at individuals’ kidney function and blood flow to the brain.
The investigators found that poor kidney function was strongly related to decreased blood flow to the brain, or hypoperfusion. Also, poor kidney function was linked to stroke and dementia most strongly in participants with hypoperfusion. These findings were independent from known cardiovascular risk factors.
“Our findings provide a possible explanation linking kidney disease to brain disease,” said Dr. Ikram. “Also, given that kidney disease and hypoperfusion of the brain are both possibly reversible, there might be an opportunity to explore how improving these conditions can ultimately reduce one’s risk of developing brain disease.” The study also shows that the kidney-brain link is not confined to patients with chronic kidney disease, but extends to persons from the general population without overt disease.
Source: http://bit.ly/1MamXc5
Older people who report greater levels of social engagement have more robust gray matter in regions of the brain relevant in dementia, according to new research led by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of...
In a new study, University of Nebraska–Lincoln sociologist Marc A. Garcia explored how educational attainment can benefit cognitive health in later life, and whether there are differences in its benefits among minorities. Garcia and his co-authors...
A genetic variation in some people may be associated with cognitive decline that can’t be explained by deposits of two key proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid β and tau, according to a study...
The material presented through the Think Tank feature on this website is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. WBHI strongly advises all questioners and viewers using this feature with health problems to consult a qualified physician, especially before starting any treatment. The materials provided on this website cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. The materials are not exhaustive and cannot always respect all the most recent research in all areas of medicine.
