Chemo Brain Info
Changes in memory, attention, concentration, and abilities to perform various mental tasks after receiving chemotherapy treatments for cancer.
Symptoms:
- Forgetting important things like dates, names, place, or appointments
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating, focusing or paying attention
- Trouble finding the right word for common objects
- Fatigue
- Short attention span
- Mental fogginess or disorientation
- Difficulties with judgment or reasoning
- Impaired math & organizational skills
- Problems performing multiple tasks
- Behavioral and emotional changes, such as irrational behavior, mood swings, inappropriate anger or crying
Risk Factors:
- Potency of chemo or radiation
- Whole brain radiation therapy
- Certain types of cancer (particularly brain cancer)
- Stress
- Sleep deprivation
- Menopause
- Medications
- Depression
- Low blood counts
- Emotional upheaval of cancer
Causes:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Anemia
- Electrolyte imbalances
- Stress, anxiety or depression
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Treatment:
- Neurofeedback
- Nutritional supplementation – B vitamins,EPA/DHA omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, acetyl -carnitine, bacopa, ginkgo, co-enzyme Q-10, vitamin D, C and amino acid supplementation to balance neurotransmitters
- Nutritional analysis to correct electrolyte imbalances, vitamin deficiencies, anemia and sleep problems
- Metabolic detoxification to support the overloaded detoxification pathways
- GI (gut)Restoration Program
- Aerobic exercise program
- Stress reduction program
Studies:
- “Efficacy of EEG Biofeedback in Addressing Cognitive Dysfunction in Cancer Survivors by Jean Alverez, Ed.D, David Granoff, Psy.D and Allan Lundy, Ph.D.
- Diagnostic Imaging of ChemoBrain Phenomenon”, Rachel Lagos, Gary Marano, Jame Abraham, Marc Haut, and Sara Kurian; presented at 98th scientific assembly and annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago on 27 November, 2012
- Stanford University study 2012-2014 on Neurofeedback and Breast Cancer Survivors
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