A new study suggests impaired kidney function is a risk factor for cognitive decline in old age. Researchers found poor kidney function was linked specifically with cognition related to memory functions. Damage to one of these functions, episodic memory (memories of time and places), is often the earliest sign of Alzheimer's disease.
 
Dr. Aron Buchman said the findings suggest there are common disease processes that affect both the brain and the kidneys in the elderly. He hypothesized underlying vascular problems, such as diabetes and hypertension, may account for the association between kidney problems and cognitive decline. The results appear in the journal Neurology. 

This article originally appeared in the November 2009 issue of Renal Flash.