Memory functions in prednisone-treated kidney transplant patients.

The literature indicates that high daily doses of gluco-corticosteroids have a degenerating effect upon the hippocampus and thus result in reduced declarative memory capacities. In order to prevent rejection, renal transplant recipients are treated with moderate daily doses of gluco-corticosteroids and, if necessary, with high pulse-doses during a few days. The question, therefore, arises as to whether or not such standard treatments result in memory impairments. For this reason, declarative memory capacities were measured, by means of a Dutch version of Rey's 15 Words Test, in a group of 52 renal transplant recipients. Results clearly indicated severe reductions in declarative memory capacities in these patients.