Even though medical doctors haven’t been able to link ‘chemo brain’ to just one cause, it doesn’t make this condition any less real or frustrating. Regardless of the type of cancer a person has been diagnosed with, chemotherapy can have a lasting impact—even after treatment. The effects on the brain can cause disruptions to daily life and relationships, and it can make maintaining work and home life very challenging. As for recovery, some patients get back to normal within a few months while some don’t see improvement for years.
The effects of chemotherapy on the brain can cause disruptions to daily life and relationships, and it can make maintaining work and home life very challenging.
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If you are currently undergoing or have finished your chemotherapy treatment, it is possible that you may suffer from chemo brain.
What Is ‘Chemo Brain?’
Chemo brain is the unofficial term used by cancer patients and survivors to describe the memory and cognitive problems they experience as they undergo chemo, or after they have completed it. Some people call it chemo brain fog, and doctors and scientists may refer to it as chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment or dysfunction.
Despite the many descriptions, the reality is that your brain might simply feel damaged after chemo and cancer treatment.
Common symptoms of chemo brain include:
- Memory problems
- Confusion
- Short attention span
- Disorganization
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating, multitasking, or learning new things
- An overall feeling of mental murkiness
What Causes Chemo Brain?
While the exact cause of this condition has not been pinpointed, a 2019 study published in Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology surmised that the underlying causes of this condition after treatment with the chemo agent, doxorubicin, could be related to disruptions in the immune system’s response, oxidative stress, a decrease in neurotransmitter levels, and inflammation in the brain.
To make it even more complicated, in the fight against the disease, cancer patients typically do not get chemotherapy alone; it is often accompanied by other treatment interventions, such as surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy, all of which can have an effect on the brain.
At the same time, patients have their own combination of risk factors or predispositions that can contribute to the probability of chemo brain. These may include gender (women may be more vulnerable than men), type of cancer, age, stress, sleep deprivation, vitamin D or other nutritional deficiencies, and preexisting conditions.
Genetics may also play a role in cognitive dysfunction related to chemotherapy. A research study published in the medical journal, Psychooncology, found that patients who carry the APOE4 gene (a genetic marker associated with Alzheimer’s disease) may have an increased susceptibility to the symptoms of chemo brain.
These various factors can work together to affect a cancer patient’s brain health and function during and after treatment.
Assessment for Chemo Brain
Many patients suffering from chemo brain come to Amen Clinics for help. Due to the multifaceted causes and variability from person to person, a standard way to treat chemo brain has not emerged in conventional medicine.
Our approach is to assess and treat every patient’s case uniquely, which is really the only way that chemo brain should be managed. If you are struggling with persistent chemo brain, your doctor at Amen Clinics will recommend brain SPECT imaging to see which areas of your brain are functioning normally and which areas are not. This will help the doctor create an individualized treatment plan specifically for you.
Strategies for Improving Brain Function During or After Chemotherapy
At Amen Clinics, we understand that as you work to recover from the effects of cancer and chemo brain, one of the most important things to do is to put your brain in a healing environment. We have found that most people can benefit from therapeutic lifestyle changes including these:
- Eating a healthy diet with fresh produce, clean protein, and foods rich in omega-3s, such as avocados, nuts, and cold-water fish like salmon and tuna.
- Getting regular physical exercise, to the extent you can. Start small and work your way up as you gain strength (with your doctor’s permission).
- Doing brain exercises, such as online brain games and word-finding or jigsaw puzzles.
- Other helpful interventions may include:
- Medications and/or supplements to support brain function
- Psychotherapy
- Neurofeedback
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
- IV nutrient therapy
While the process of regaining your pre-chemotherapy brain function may take a while, making some effort each day with a few different strategies can accumulate and eventually lead to the positive changes you want.
The effects of chemo brain can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, remote clinical evaluations, and video therapy for adults, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.
The post Chemotherapy: Can It Negatively Affect Your Brain? first appeared on Amen Clinics.