Chemo brain: From discerning mechanisms to lifting the brain fog—An aging connection

Kovalchuk, Anna; Kolb, Bryan

doi:10.1080/15384101.2017.1334022

Cited by 54 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…Descriptions of cognitive effects were often overlapping with other effects – of treatment and ongoing, relentless disease management. Fatigue, emotional lability (highs and lows –see below), pain, sleep disturbances, and the effects of steroid medication were all portrayed as linking to this experience of ‘cog fog’ that is alluded to in other cancer populations [ 38 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Treatment preferences of patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma: a qualitative study

et al. 2019

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BackgroundMultiple myeloma is a haematological malignancy characterized by significant morbidity and mortality. This study sought to develop an in-depth understanding of patients’ lived experiences of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) and its treatment, and to identify which features of treatment were most important to them.MethodsQualitative interviews and focus groups (FGs) were conducted with 32 people living with RRMM across Canada. In Phase 1, interviews focused on participants’ accounts of their experiences with the disease and its treatment and laid the groundwork for the FGs (Phase 2). The FGs developed a deeper understanding of patients’ treatment priorities. Interview and FG transcripts were coded for emergent themes and patterns.ResultsThe interviews identified important side effects that had significant impacts on patients’ lives, including physical, cognitive, and psychological/emotional side effects. Participants also identified specific treatment features (attributes) that were important to them. These were compiled into a list and used in the FGs to understand patients’ priorities. Higher prioritized attributes were: life expectancy, physical and cognitive side effects, and financial impact. Mode of administration, treatment intervals, psychological side effects, and sleep/mood effects were identified as lower priorities.ConclusionsRRMM and its treatments impact importantly on patients’ quality-of-life across a range of domains. Patients prioritized treatment features that could enhance life expectancy, minimize side effects and offset financial burdens.Implications for cancer survivorsA clear articulation of patient priorities can contribute to efforts to design treatment with patients’ concerns in mind, thereby promoting a more patient-centered approach to care.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Treatment preferences of patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma: a qualitative study

et al. 2019

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“…First, are these cognitive de cits, where they occur, generalised or 'domain-speci c'; that is, do they affect certain cognitive systems more than others and, if so, which cognitive systems are most susceptible? This issue has gained import in recent months as poorly speci ed terms like 'brain fog' have entered both common parlance and the scienti c literature describing 'long COVID' or COVID 'long-haulers' [10][11][12][13] . Unfortunately, the widespread use of 'blunt' screening tools such as the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE 14 ) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA 15 ) to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 infection only adds to this confusion, as both were designed to detect the emergence of dementia in the elderly, rather than to provide a comprehensive picture of cognitive performance [16][17][18][19][20] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seeing through brain fog: disentangling the cognitive, physical, and mental health sequalae of COVID-19.

Wild¹,

Norton²,

Menon³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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As COVID-19 cases exceed hundreds of millions globally, it is clear that many survivors face cognitive challenges and prolonged symptoms. However, important questions about the cognitive impacts of COVID-19 remain unresolved. In the present online study, 485 volunteers who reported having had a confirmed COVID-positive test completed a comprehensive cognitive battery and an extensive questionnaire. This group performed significantly worse than pre-pandemic controls on cognitive measures of reasoning, verbal, and overall performance, and processing speed, but not short-term memory – suggesting domain-specific deficits. We identified two distinct factors underlying health measures: one varying with physical symptoms and illness severity, and one with mental health. Crucially, cognitive deficits were correlated with physical symptoms, but not mental health, and were evident even in cases that did not require hospitalisation. These findings suggest that the subjective experience of “long COVID” or “brain fog” relates to a combination of physical symptoms and cognitive deficits.

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“…Mitochondrial dysfunction, free‐radical generation and oxidative stress, and excitotoxicity are all implicated in cognitive impairment after CNS injury (Walker & Tesco, ). Further, mechanisms of cognitive decline following systemic chemotherapy include: oxidative stress, microglia activation, apoptosis and inhibition of neuronal proliferation (Kovalchuk, ; Vichaya, ). Thus, it will be useful to evaluate other mechanisms of decline in order to characterize the mechanism of thioTEPA‐induced cognitive impairment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of thioTEPA chemotherapy on cognition and motor coordination

Alexander

Kiffer

Groves

et al. 2019

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Cancer survivorship has increased greatly as therapies have become more advanced and effective. Thus, we must now focus on improving the quality of life of patients after treatment. After chemotherapy, many patients experience chemotherapy‐induced cognitive decline, indicating a need to investigate pathologies associated with this condition. In this study, we addressed cognitive impairment after thioTEPA treatment by assessing behavior and assaying cytokine production and the structure of dendrites in the hippocampus. Male mice were given three intraperitoneal injections of thioTEPA. Five weeks later, the mice underwent behavior testing, and brains were collected for Golgi staining and cytokine analysis. Behavior tests included y‐maze and Morris water maze and licking behavioral task. Cytokines measured include: IL‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐3, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐10, IL‐12p70, MCP‐1, TNF‐α, GMCSF, and RANTES. We observed decreased memory retention in behavioral tasks. Also, dendritic arborization and length were decreased after chemotherapy treatment. Finally, thioTEPA decreased cytokine production in animals treated with chemotherapy, compared to saline‐treated controls. Here, we used a mouse model to correlate the decreases in dendritic complexity and inflammatory cytokine production with cognitive impairment after chemotherapy.

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Chemo brain: From discerning mechanisms to lifting the brain fog—An aging connection

Cited by 54 publications

References 64 publications

Treatment preferences of patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma: a qualitative study

Treatment preferences of patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma: a qualitative study

Seeing through brain fog: disentangling the cognitive, physical, and mental health sequalae of COVID-19.

Effects of thioTEPA chemotherapy on cognition and motor coordination

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