What psychological effect might result from dialysis dementia?

Dialysis dementia is a term used to describe the cognitive decline that may occur in patients undergoing long-term dialysis treatment. This condition can lead to various cognitive impairments, with loss of short-term memory being one of the most common effects observed.

Patients with dialysis dementia often struggle to recall recent events or information, which can significantly impact their daily functioning and quality of life. This memory loss is not due to a single incident but is often a cumulative effect of the many factors associated with chronic kidney disease and the dialysis process itself, including the buildup of toxins in the blood that are not adequately filtered by the kidneys.

Other options do not relate to the well-documented effects of dialysis dementia. While increased aggression, enhanced cognitive function, and heightened empathy are psychological states that can be observed in various other conditions or contexts, they are not characteristic outcomes of dialysis dementia. Instead, the predominant concern within this context remains the cognitive decline, particularly the loss of short-term memory.