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The Cutting Edge

Mental-training Exercises Help Mitigate Effects of “Chemo Brain”

  Mental-training Exercises Help Mitigate Effects of “Chemo Brain”
  The brain image on the left shows how women with breast cancer who had a series of mental training exercises experienced fewer problems with memory and concentration.
Graphic: Courtesy of Dr. Patricia Ganz

UCLA researchers have developed a program that could improve the day-to-day lives of women with breast cancer by addressing post-treatment cognitive difficulties, sometimes known as “chemo brain,” which can affect up to 35 percent of women after their treatments.

An estimated one-in-eight women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetimes, and following chemotherapy treatment, a mental fogginess can prevent them from being able to concentrate, stay organized and complete everyday activities, such as sticking to a schedule or planning a family gathering.
The study builds upon earlier research that found a statistically significant association between neuropsychological test performance and memory complaints among women with early-stage breast cancer following treatment.

“We invited the women to participate in a research study that assigned them to early or delayed treatment with a five-week, two-hour group training session, where a psychologist taught them strategies to help them with their memory and maintain their ability to pay attention to things,” says Patricia Ganz, MD ’73 (RES ’76, FEL ’78), director of prevention and control research at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “These are activities we call executive function and planning, or the things all of us do in order to organize our day.”

Linda Ercoli, PhD, associate clinical professor of health sciences at the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, was responsible for the development of the cognitive-rehabilitation intervention program. “We gave women exercises on, for example, how to remember a ‘to-do’ list, remembering to buy items at the store or planning a party and deciding what type of food should be served to guests,” Dr. Ercoli says. “Participants were given real-life tasks to complete that would use these types of strategies to improve cognitive function.” The intervention program also included homework and practice activities that the participants would discuss at the weekly sessions.

Drs. Ganz and Ercoli found that the 32 women in the early-intervention group reported improvement in memory complaints and test functioning, while the 16 women in the delayed intervention control group did not improve in either their cognitive complaints or test performance. The intervention-group participants showed continued improvement two months after completion of the rehabilitation program.

“The brain-wave pattern in the intervention group actually normalized,” Dr. Ganz says. “We hope that this might be an effective biologic way to assess the cognitive effects of cancer treatment in the future.”

“Cognitive Rehabilitation Group Intervention for Breast Cancer Survivors: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial,” Psycho-Oncology, March 10, 2015


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Summer 2015

Summer 2015
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IN THIS ISSUE
  • United We Stand
  • Stories of Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Brain Abnormalities Similar in People with Anorexia and Body Dysmorphic Disorder
  • Drug That Can Head Off Diabetes Is Rarely Used
  • Characteristic Patterns of Proteins Found in Brains of Retired NFL Players Who Suffered Concussions
  • Scientists Patent Method for Finding Microscopic Needle in a Haystack
  • Mental-training Exercises Help Mitigate Effects of “Chemo Brain”
  • In Utero Exposure to Extreme Morning Sickness May Harm Offspring
  • Nanotechnology Platform Shows Promise for Treating Pancreatic Cancer
  • Blood-based Test for Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Electroconvulsive Therapy Changes Key Areas of the Brain That Play Roles in Memory and Emotion
  • ADAPT Program: Tailored Care to Address Special Needs
  • On the Trail of a Gene Mutation
  • Safe Haven
  • Interior Life
  • Balancing Act
  • Awards/Honors
  • In Memoriam
  • Sky’s the Limit
  • Postcard from Kenya
  • A Home-grown Team Battles Melanoma
  • In His Own Words: Scott Lee, MD ’02
  • Taste for a Cure Celebrates 20th Anniversary
  • Great Minds Gala Supports Outstanding Young Researchers
  • UCLA Health Forms Partnership with Sound Body Sound Mind Foundation
  • New Mobile App Focuses on Tools for Foster Families
  • Dedicated to a Cure for Pancreatic Cancer
  • Turning Sorrow into Laughter
  • Memorial Golf Tournament Supports Cancer Research
  • David and Susan Wilstein Pledge Support for Rehabilitation Services
  • Chairs of Distinction
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  • Awards/Honors: HeartRhythm Honors UCLA Cardiologist
  • Out of Africa: An Interview with Dr. Matthew Waxman
  • A Place to Turn for Help
  • Healing Space
  • Out of Africa
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