Can tamoxifen cause memory problems?
Julie Gralow, M.D.: To the best of my knowledge, we don’t have any conclusive studies showing that tamoxifen has significant effects on the brain. Lots of times, people who are on tamoxifen previously had chemotherapy, so they may still be feeling some effects of the “chemo brain” that can continue for many months after tamoxifen is started. We know that tamoxifen has anti-estrogenic effects on breast tissue. However, it also can have some estrogen-like properties on other tissues, like the bones and the uterus. We really aren’t sure what it does in the brain. It may have favorable, estrogen-like effects on the brain in terms of memory and cognition, or it may have some minor anti-estrogenic effects. This is the subject of some interesting studies that are currently underway.
