Breast Cancer & Cognition Research
Among cancer survivors, "chemobrain" is a regularly mentioned, persistent side effect. Despite the frequency with which memory changes are discussed, we know very little about the effect of a cancer diagnosis and cancer therapy on memory and cognition. The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of chemotherapy on memory, perception, language and emotion. This is done by asking participants to perform a variety of cognitive tasks. Some of these tasks are performed with the use of a functional MRI brain scan, so we can look for alterations in brain physiology. Results from this study will document what changes actually occur as a result of cancer therapy, help us identify how long change persists and may point us toward future interventions for prevention and rehabilitation. Individuals who will be receiving chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer are eligible to participate.
Contact Suzanne Hoeppner, (802) 656-9916 for more information.