Blog

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s Quest magazine this month features an article on chemobrain. See: http://www.fhcrc.org/about/pubs/quest/index.html. Chemo brain is a possible side effect of chemotherapy. Individuals may experience cognitive problems such as stumbling on words, frequently losing items such as keys, or changes in fine motor control and eye-hand coordination. The article also describes way that patients can adapt to the changes, using memory organizing tools. Chemo fog has been better defined by research into the condition over the past decade. The use of brain imaging also documents changes to the brain.

For researcher in Cleveland, Jean Alvarez   chemobrain was a personnel issue.  After experiencing the problem of chemo fog herself post treatment for breast cancer, she tried to manage the poor sleep, gaps in memory and fatigue with meditation and extra sleep.  Then she remembered something she had read about neurofeedback.  She found a practitioner in the area.  After three sessions her insomnia of seven years resolved after ten her depression was gone.  So inspired she has started the Lake Erie Brain Performance Institute in Cleveland, to study the effects of neurofeedback for individuals experiencing chemobrain. See: http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2010/03/researchers_turn_to_neurofeedb.html

Added on 06/02/2010

Filed Under