Cognitive impairment in chronic kidney disease: role of brain imaging, functional imaging, electroencephalography, cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers and sensors

Chronic kidney disease is associated with cognitive impairment although the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. Characterization and efficient monitoring of the cognitive impact of kidney disease and ensuing therapies are critical for the accurate clinical management of patients. A vast array of imaging modalities, biomarkers, and sensors have shown relevance for the assessment of cognitive impairment. Knowing the potential and limitations of these paraclinical techniques is a necessary condition to improve the understanding of this phenomenon and to design monitoring protocols and guidelines applicable to this clinical population. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of current imaging modalities and biomarker sources available to the community, for the benefit of the research and clinical community.