Thursday, November 6, 2008

Kidney Transplantation Can Improve Mental Performance, Study Finds

Individuals with kidney disease often suffer from cognitive impairment, but kidney transplantation can improve their mental performance, according to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 41st Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

While researchers and clinicians consider cognitive decline to be a common occurrence in patients with chronic kidney disease, it is unclear if this impairment is due to patients' advanced age, their chronic health conditions, or potential treatment-related factors. In addition, the effects of surgery and immunosuppressant medications on memory and overall cognitive performance have been poorly studied, but previous research suggests that kidney transplantation may have a beneficial effect on patients' mental function.

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