Can chemotherapy—and post-chemo brain—lead to Alzheimer’s disease?
There is no evidence of a connection between chemotherapy and Alzheimer’s disease at this time. Chemotherapy does not appear to cause the same biochemical changes in the brain that are found in Alzheimer’s patients. On the other hand, for those who are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and may not know it because they’ve had no symptoms, they may become symptomatic after undergoing chemotherapy. That’s because the front part of the brain—often affected after chemotherapy—loses its ability to compensate for damage to the back part of the brain, where we see the most pronounced loss of function in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. As a result, the symptoms of post-chemo brain can unmask the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Q. Is it possible to have my memory monitored throughout treatment? Yes. If you are concerned about post-chemo brain, particularly if you are already experiencing cognitive difficulties, consider asking your doctor to refer you to a neuropsychologist for a base
