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Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Quantifying Cognitive Decrements Caused by Cranial Radiotherapy
Published on: October 18, 2011
Dysregulation of cytokine mediated chemotherapy induced cognitive impairment
Xiaojia Ren1, Daret K St Clair2, D Allan Butterfield3
1Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506-0055, USA.
Abstract:
One of the major complaints patients who survive cancer often make is chemotherapy induced cognitive impairment (CICI), which survivors often call "chemo brain." CICI is a side effect of chemotherapy due to the cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity of anti-cancer drugs causing structural and functional changes in brain, even when drugs that do not cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) are used. Diminished cognitive functions including diminution of learning and memory, concentration and attention, processing speed and executive functions that reduce quality of life and ability to work are common signs and symptoms of CICI. There still is not a clarified and complete mechanism for CICI, but researchers have pointed to several biochemical candidates. Chemotherapy-induced, cytokine-mediated involvement in CICI will be mainly discussed in this review paper with emphasis on different types of cytokines, correlated with BBB and epigenetic changes. Mechanisms of ROS-generating, anti-cancer drugs and their relation to cytokine-mediated CICI will be emphasized.
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