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Clearing the Mind: Coping with "chemobrain"

An interview with Bernadine Cimprich, Ph.D., R.N., a researcher at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center

Understanding 'chemobrain' to find better ways to cope

Learn more about a U-M study looking at the effects of chemotherapy on brain function. Click here .

People who have undergone treatment for cancer often report that they just don't seem to be able to think as clearly as they used to. They have trouble remembering things from one minute to the next. They can't think of the right word or they forget people's names. And multitasking is simply out of the question. For some, the problems can be severe, leading to difficulties at work and at home. Researchers have struggled to understand the syndrome that has come to be known as "chemobrain." One of those researchers is Bernadine Cimprich, a U-M associate professor of nursing who has studied the cognitive functioning of women with breast cancer. We spoke with her about what chemobrain is and how people can cope with it.

Q: How many people are affected by chemobrain?

A: We believe that about one-third of women treated for breast cancer have cognitive problems that interfere with day-to-day living. But that's just an estimate. Even subtle changes not easily detected on usual cognitive tests can be very bothersome. We started talking about chemobrain with the breast cancer population because the bulk of studies of cognitive problems have been focused on this group. However, we don't think it's unique to breast cancer or to women.

Q: What causes chemobrain?

A: That's the puzzle. I actually don't think "chemobrain" is a good term for it because it focuses on a possible source that may or may not be the total story. Cognitive changes have been detected with chemotherapy but other factors also might be involved. My research-as well as other people's research-shows that some women have cognitive differences before they ever have treatment. We've looked at women at that point after diagnosis and just before treatment and we could already detect cognitive difficulties. We can't blame it on chemotherapy, surgery or any type of treatment. We can't blame it on older age because we also assessed women without breast cancer of similar ages, and they didn't exhibit the same problems.

Q: If it isn't caused by chemotherapy alone, then what other factors are involved?

A: There are probably brain networks that are vulnerable to fatigue and stress-which obviously both occur with a cancer diagnosis. We have networks that are responsible for working memory and attention that help us block out distractions and keep track of things. If these networks are vulnerable to stress and fatigue in the first place and then you add therapies that may have toxic effects, it may compound the problem. There may also be genetic factors that increase a person's sensitivity to cognitive side effects of chemotherapy. And depression or menopausal symptoms could add to cognitive changes, too. So it could very well be that there is more than one source for these cognitive problems.

Continue reading and get tips on how to cope with chemo brain.

 

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This article first appeared in the Summer, 2008 issue of Thrive. Read the magazine - opens as a .pdf document.