The relationship between kidney health and neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases are multi-faceted disorders influenced by and affecting more than just the brain and nervous system. Here, we provide a review of the potential links, including mechanistic and genetic, between kidney health and neurodegeneration, mainly dementia and the two most prevalent late-onset neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. We also discuss lines of evidence from various study designs and methodologies that either support or do not support an association between kidney health and neurodegeneration. We conclude with a summary of current gaps and provide possible ways forward to overcome them in future research. The goal of this review is to encourage further exploration of the relationship between these two biological systems to better elucidate potential actionable options to improve brain health.