Cognitive dysfunction, sometimes called "chemo brain," stemming from chemotherapy is a major adverse condition affecting approximately 14 million cancer patients and survivors in the United States. Although chemo brain has been widely reported by patients and clinicians, the cause of concentration and memory problems in cancer patients is not well understood. Mayo Clinic researchers are studying these effects in preclinical models in search of answers.

“Chemo brain is a frustrating side effect of cancer treatments,” says Mi-Hyeon Jang, Ph.D., associate professor of neurosurgery and assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Mayo Clinic. “Patients affected by chemo brain describe debilitating thinking and memory problems, including learning, memory and attention.”

Dr. Jang’s work to understand the cognitive deficits experienced by patients with cancer is funded by  Regenerative Medicine Minnesota. This understanding will provide insight into development of novel therapeutic interventions that prevent cognitive dysfunction, resulting in a better quality of life for cancer survivors.  To learn more, about Dr. Jang’s research in regenerative medicine, watch this video:

Tags: cancer, chemo brain, Dr. Mi Hyeon Jang, Neuroregeneration, regenerative medicine, Regenerative Medicine Minnesota, Research, stem cells