Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI), also known as "chemobrain," is a spectrum of neurocognitive deficits experienced during and after the administration of chemotherapy for cancer. The incidence of CICI is significant, affecting anywhere from 25 to 75% of survivors, and the biologic basis is unknown. This novel study is designed to address the questions of incidence and biological cause for CICI, while gaining a better understanding of the structural and functional effects of chemotherapy on the brain.
Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI), also known as "chemobrain," is a spectrum of neurocognitive deficits experienced during and after the administration of chemotherapy for cancer. The incidence of CICI is significant, affecting anywhere from 25 to 75% of survivors, and the biologic basis is unknown. This novel study is designed to address the questions of incidence and biological cause for CICI, while gaining a better understanding of the structural and functional effects of chemotherapy on the brain. In order to address these important objectives, a diverse team of experienced investigators has been assembled to design and implement the proposed protocol. The research team for this project seeks to accomplish the proposed objectives through following mechanisms: 1) assessment of the neurocognitive domains affected in CICI using a tailored battery of cognitive tests to define CICI; 2) measurement of serum markers of oxidative stress and correlation of these markers with neurocognitive test results; and 3) exploration of structural and functional changes in the brain during cognitive tasks and correlation of results with markers of oxidative stress and neurocognitive test results.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
14
Baseline and post-chemotherapy neurocognitive testing. A sequentially-assigned subset of participants also receive baseline and post-chemotherapy neuroimaging (FMRI)
University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Reliable Change Index (RCI)
To address the primary aim, RCI (which is essentially a z-score) for each patient will be calculated from the pre-, post-chemotherapy Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test results. Then a Wilcoxon signed rank test will be applied to the RCI values with corresponding 95% confidence intervals.
Time frame: 4 weeks after completing cycle #6 chemotherapy (each cycle is 21 days)
Assess the correlation between biologic markers of oxidative stress and neurocognitive test results.
Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusting for baseline log serum levels, will be utilized to assess for differences in log levels over timepoints including the 4 and 6 hour samples. Spearman correlations will be utilized to describe associations with cognitive tests scores and biochemical measured in addition to Spearman Correlation coefficients between baseline biochemical measures.
Time frame: 4 weeks after completing cycle #6 chemotherapy (each cycle is 21 days)
Assess the correlation between brain imaging and neurocognitive test results
For neurological outcomes, a longitudinal comparison before and after Chemotherapy in fMRI (percent signal change and extend of activation voxels), DTI (FA % change), and ERP (uV) will be performed. There will be changes in patterns of fMRI responses, FA, and ERP signals from baseline to after treatment. We expect that fMRI activation will be change in prefrontal regions change of effort needed to do the memory task. Changes in white matter FA in after the treatment may be observable in the white matter regions such as the frontal and temporal cortices as well as in gray matter regions suspected to be affected by the Chemo. Cognitive ERP patterns will be changed in the same individuals. fMRI and ERP analysis can be analyzed and compared at individual level. To explore correlations between fMRI outcomes and cognitive measures, ANCOVA is an appropriate choice since we want to study measures after treatment, relative to initial values.
Time frame: 4 weeks after completing cycle #6 chemotherapy (each cycle is 21 days)
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