Neuroscience
Impaired Cognitive Function and Hippocampal Neurogenesis Following Cancer Chemotherapy
Clin Cancer Res. 2012 Feb 14;
Christie LA, Acharya MM, Parihar VK, Nguyen A, Martirosian V, Limoli CL
Abstract
PURPOSE: A substantial proportion of breast cancer survivors report significant, long-lasting impairments in cognitive function, often referred to as "chemobrain." Advances in detection and treatment mean that many more patients are surviving long-term following diagnosis of invasive breast cancer. Thus, it is important to define the types, extent and persistence of cognitive impairments following treatment with cytotoxic cancer drugs. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We examined the effects of chronic treatment with two agents commonly used in breast cancer patients, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin (Adriamycin). Athymic nude rats were given 50mg/kg cyclophosphamide, 2mg/kg doxorubicin or saline injections once per week for 4 weeks. A novel place recognition task and contextual and cued fear conditioning were employed to characterize learning and memory ability. Immunofluorescence staining for immature and mature neurons and activated microglia was used to assess changes in neurogenesis and neuroinflammation.RESULTS: Cyclophosphamide- and doxorubicin-treated rats showed significantly impaired performance on the novel place recognition task and the contextual fear conditioning task compared to untreated controls, suggesting disrupted hippocampal-based memory function. Chemotherapy-treated animals showed a significant decline in neurogenesis (80 to 90% drop in BrdU labeled cells expressing NeuN). Activated microglia (ED1 positive) were found after cyclophosphamide, but not doxorubicin treatment.CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that chronic treatment with either of two commonly-used chemotherapeutic agents impairs cognitive ability, and suggest that strategies to prevent or repair disrupted hippocampal neurogenesis may be effective in ameliorating this serious side effect in cancer survivors.
PMID: 22338017 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Chemotherapy And Neuropsychological Functioning
From yesterday's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Lost in cancer's fog 'Chemobrain' impairs thinking, memory after chemotherapy; anecdotal brain effects are just starting to get serious study By JOHN FAUBER 01 September 2007 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel...
- Chemo Brain
Jane Gross writes in Sunday's New York Times about chemo brain, in which folks who have received chemotherapy also exhibit signs of severe cognitive impairment. Mostly this is women who’ve received aggressive treatment for breast cancer -- one woman...
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- Focus On Brain Cancer: Discovery To Recovery
The Focus On Brain Cancer: Discovery to Recovery conference is sponsored by the Abramson Cancer Center. The Focus On Brain Cancer conference is for adults who are newly diagnosed, in treatment of survivors of brain cancer. At this conference, adults with...
Neuroscience
Neuropsychology Abstract of the Day: "Chemo-Brain"
Impaired Cognitive Function and Hippocampal Neurogenesis Following Cancer Chemotherapy
Clin Cancer Res. 2012 Feb 14;
Christie LA, Acharya MM, Parihar VK, Nguyen A, Martirosian V, Limoli CL
Abstract
PURPOSE: A substantial proportion of breast cancer survivors report significant, long-lasting impairments in cognitive function, often referred to as "chemobrain." Advances in detection and treatment mean that many more patients are surviving long-term following diagnosis of invasive breast cancer. Thus, it is important to define the types, extent and persistence of cognitive impairments following treatment with cytotoxic cancer drugs. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We examined the effects of chronic treatment with two agents commonly used in breast cancer patients, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin (Adriamycin). Athymic nude rats were given 50mg/kg cyclophosphamide, 2mg/kg doxorubicin or saline injections once per week for 4 weeks. A novel place recognition task and contextual and cued fear conditioning were employed to characterize learning and memory ability. Immunofluorescence staining for immature and mature neurons and activated microglia was used to assess changes in neurogenesis and neuroinflammation.RESULTS: Cyclophosphamide- and doxorubicin-treated rats showed significantly impaired performance on the novel place recognition task and the contextual fear conditioning task compared to untreated controls, suggesting disrupted hippocampal-based memory function. Chemotherapy-treated animals showed a significant decline in neurogenesis (80 to 90% drop in BrdU labeled cells expressing NeuN). Activated microglia (ED1 positive) were found after cyclophosphamide, but not doxorubicin treatment.CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that chronic treatment with either of two commonly-used chemotherapeutic agents impairs cognitive ability, and suggest that strategies to prevent or repair disrupted hippocampal neurogenesis may be effective in ameliorating this serious side effect in cancer survivors.
PMID: 22338017 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Chemotherapy And Neuropsychological Functioning
From yesterday's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Lost in cancer's fog 'Chemobrain' impairs thinking, memory after chemotherapy; anecdotal brain effects are just starting to get serious study By JOHN FAUBER 01 September 2007 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel...
- Chemo Brain
Jane Gross writes in Sunday's New York Times about chemo brain, in which folks who have received chemotherapy also exhibit signs of severe cognitive impairment. Mostly this is women who’ve received aggressive treatment for breast cancer -- one woman...
- Treating Dog Cancer
Today's New York Times has an article about dog cancer. Seems some dogs are participating in clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of cancer treatment in humans and animals. Those in which the treatment succeeds are indeed lucky dogs. If only...
- Focus On Adult Brain Cancer: A Free Conference For Patients And Caregivers
This Friday, October 11, the Abramson Cancer Center will be sponsoring the Focus On Brain Cancer: Discovery to Recovery conference. The Focus On Brain Cancer conference is for adults who are newly diagnosed, in treatment of survivors of brain cancer....
- Focus On Brain Cancer: Discovery To Recovery
The Focus On Brain Cancer: Discovery to Recovery conference is sponsored by the Abramson Cancer Center. The Focus On Brain Cancer conference is for adults who are newly diagnosed, in treatment of survivors of brain cancer. At this conference, adults with...