Article: Study offers new models for understanding the causes of chemo brain (brain fog)

[Sly Saint]

Cancer is a challenging enough diagnosis, but many patients are dealt a second blow, even as they heal: "chemo brain."

Also called "brain fog," this mix of cognitive issues - memory problems, struggling to find words, an inability to concentrate - affects up to three-in-four cancer patients, according to multiple studies. For many, the effects last years beyond cancer treatment.

A new study offers new models for studying causes of chemo brain and points to the effects of chemotherapy drugs on the brain's lymphatic system, which is a network of tiny vessels in the brain's protective membranes that help remove waste and transport immune cells. The study was published Oct. 13 in Communications Biology.

"There's compounding evidence now that these meningeal lymphatics are involved in cognitive issues, including Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury, too. Women are affected by chemo brain, or brain fog, much more than men when treated by very common chemotherapies, such as those used on breast cancer patients on a regular basis."

Jennifer Munson, co-corresponding author, professor and director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC's Cancer Research Center in Roanok

Taken together, Munson said, the results suggest chemo brain could result from poor lymphatic-system drainage in response to chemotherapy.

"That could potentially account for some of these memory deficits, which is similar to what we have seen in Alzheimer's disease," Munson said.

"The first step is knowing," she said. "And now the hope is to figure out how to help. Could delivering something pharmaceutically, such as a protein, alleviate the problem and not interfere with the chemotherapy? We know of other things that affect flow in the brain, as well, such as better sleep and exercise."

Munson is also interested in exploring gender differences in chemo brain prevalence.

"Lymphatic diseases in general affect women more than men," she said. "We are extremely interested in trying to understand that difference and why that difference might exist."

Study offers new models for understanding the causes of chemo brain

Cancer is a challenging enough diagnosis, but many patients are dealt a second blow, even as they heal: "chemo brain."

www.news-medical.net

 

[Sly Saint]

another article but this time with a possible treatment

Common cholesterol drug could help prevent 'chemo brain' in cancer patients​

A common cholesterol drug could prevent a debilitating side effect in cancer patients, a study has found.

More than 75 per cent of patients experience cognitive changes – known as ‘chemo brain’ – during treatment, with around 35 per cent reporting lingering symptoms years later.
These can involve mental fog and reduced ability to think, as well as difficulties with memory, problem-solving and self-control.

It is not known what causes chemo brain and treatment options are limited to lifestyle changes, such as exercise, improved sleep, a healthy diet and stress management.

But now American researchers believe they may have a solution.

Cholesterol-lowering medication statins appear to protect brain function in breast and lymphoma cancer patients for up to two years after their treatment.

MSN

Cholesterol drug could help prevent 'chemo brain' in cancer patients

More than 75 per cent of patients experience cognitive changes - known as 'chemo brain' - during treatment, with around 35 per cent reporting lingering symptoms years later.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Good to see this debilitating 'symptom' being taken seriously for some. It would be nice if it was taken equally seriously for pwME.

 

[rvallee]

It is not known what causes chemo brain and treatment options are limited to lifestyle changes, such as exercise, improved sleep, a healthy diet and stress management.

Those are not 'treatment options', FFS. This fetish medicine has developed for making every solution to every problem being 'min-max a bunch of useless behaviours, or whatever' marks one of those turning points that cemented the alluring power of alternative medicine pseudoscience. Things would not be this bad if medicine had not given up entirely and embraced pseudoscience.

And they lost that battle so bad that alternative medicine pseudoscience has been mainstreamed into real medicine so thoroughly no one even thinks twice about it.

 

[rvallee]

Also, akshually

"That could potentially account for some of these memory deficits, which is similar to what we have seen in Alzheimer's disease," Munson said.

This is not similar at all to what is seen in Alzheimer's disease. In fact memory appears to be largely intact in brain fog, it's just very difficult to use. Like every other major brain function, especially executive functioning.

It is, however, similar to brain fog, which is the same thing, and a problem known for decades, and in fact appears to be roughly the same thing, not the same as AD at all, but a giant problem that has been impossible to even attempt to solve because of bullshit pseudoscience making every problem medicine can't handle the patients' fault.

 

[Creekside]

Since "brain fog" is unmeasurable and not clearly defined, practically everything other than perfect mental clarity can fit that term. Is chemotherapy BFthe same as ME BF? Maybe there's someone who has had chemotherapy BF and ME BF and can give an opinion, although suffering from BF isn't the best state for figuring out difficult questions.