Exploring Novel Therapeutic Avenues for Chemotherapy Related Cognitive Impairment

Abstract Many cancer patients are at risk of developing cognitive symptoms that often become evident during or after cancer-directed therapy and may involve difficulties with attention, concentration, multitasking, executive function, and memory. Despite recent advances in identifying potential molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cancer and chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment, there is generally a lack of effective treatment strategies, and the development of novel therapeutic interventions represents a major unmet medical need in clinical practice. A recent study by Kim and colleagues suggests that multi-sensory 40-Hz gamma entrainment using sensory stimuli (GENUS) with combined visual and auditory stimuli is associated with powerful neuroprotective effects in mouse models of cisplatin or methotrexate-induced ‘chemobrain’. While the study has some limitations and successful interventions in animal models have often failed to translate into clinical practice, this non-invasive treatment modality has promise to protect brain structure and function and could be tested in cancer patients who are at risk for cognitive decline.