The Impact of Kidney Conditions on Neurocognitive Functioning in Children and Adolescents

The connection between various kidney conditions and neurocognitive functioning has been assumed and studied for nearly 75 years. This area of scientific inquiry and clinical practice has been of increased interest not only from the perspective of the neurocognitive functioning of children and adolescents with various types and/or severity of kidney disease and associated factors (e.g., comorbidities), but also from the life course view of how these challenges in childhood manifest later in adulthood. This chapter provides an overview of the available literature addressing the impact of various pediatric kidney disorders on neurocognitive functioning. Specific areas of focus include the kidney-brain connection, neurocognitive findings in various types of pediatric kidney disease, and impact of neurocognitive dysfunction on targeted aspects of the child and adolescent’s life. The chapter concludes with a summary and future directions for the field.