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Challenges in research on the neural basis of „chemobrain”

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Translational Neuroscience

Abstract

Cancer survivors treated with chemotherapy frequently complain about impairment of cognitive functions including attention and memory. While the contribution of factors like psychological distress, anxiety or fatigue to this “chemobrain” syndrome has been discussed, studies in rodents have demonstrated the toxicity of various chemotherapeutic substances to the adult central nervous system. In humans, structural brain imaging has revealed both reduced gray and white matter volume and decreased white matter integrity related to chemotherapeutic treatment. Studies of brain function have found alterations in brain activation patterns during different types of tasks. Nevertheless, further clinical research using prospective designs in larger samples is required to better understand the relationship between chemotherapy and cognitive deficits. Variables that need to be considered more systematically include drug dose, genetic variations, and psychological factors. Assessing both electroencephalographic and hemodynamic responses during tasks at different stages of the processing hierarchy and at different difficulty levels should help in pinpointing the cortical processes affected by chemotherapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Goethe University, D-60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Jochen Kaiser

  2. Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, MGH Cancer Center and Center for Regenerative Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Jörg Dietrich

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  1. Jochen Kaiser
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  2. Jörg Dietrich
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Correspondence to Jochen Kaiser.

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Kaiser, J., Dietrich, J. Challenges in research on the neural basis of „chemobrain”. Translat.Neurosci. 5, 222–225 (2014). https://doi.org/10.2478/s13380-014-0223-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s13380-014-0223-9

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