Chronic kidney disease: A new study suggests that chronic kidney disease (CKD) may speed up cognitive decline, with noticeable differences in how this decline appears in men and women.
Researchers from Marshall University, studying a rural US population, found that men with CKD showed higher levels of cognitive impairment alongside a more marked drop in heart function compared with women.
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The team linked much of the cognitive impact to disruption of the “kidney-heart-brain” axis, often described as the heart-brain connection, suggesting that pathways linking cardiovascular strain to brain health may be stronger or more vulnerable in men with CKD.
The findings, published in the American Journal of Physiology, Heart and Circulatory Physiology, indicate that CKD patients generally had higher blood pressure than healthy controls, but men with the condition experienced a clearer decline in cardiac function when compared with sex- and age-matched groups. The researchers said this may help explain why men with CKD often appear to face more severe cognitive effects.
Lead author Sneha S. Pillai said the results point to sex-specific biological routes linking kidney health, cardiovascular damage, and brain function. The study’s authors added that recognising these differences could guide earlier diagnosis and more tailored interventions, potentially improving outcomes before patients progress to more serious neurological complications.
Lead investigator Komal Sodhi highlighted the need for strategies that account for sex-based risk patterns, arguing that more personalised approaches may be key to reducing long-term cognitive and neurological harm in people living with chronic kidney disease.