title: "Chemo brain"--is cancer survivorship related to later-life cognition? Findings from the health and retirement study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies have shown a correlation between cancer and cognition referred to as "chemo brain." This study investigated the relationship between cancer and later-life cognition using nationally representative data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of the 2006 Health and Retirement Study investigated the (a) effects of cancer survivorship on the total cognition score using linear regression in adults age 65+ (n = 9,814) and (b) the effects of cancer treatment on the total recall index using linear regression in adults age 50+ (n = 657).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total cognition score is not associated with cancer survivorship. The association between long-term cancer survivorship and cognition score was significant (p < .05; b = .276). Total recall index is not associated with chemotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support other research suggesting that chemo brain may be biased by expectation as well as favored by research that relies upon self-reported cognitive measures versus cognitive testing. The study was limited by the cross-sectional design.
authors: University of Massachusetts Boston, USA. kristen.porter001@umb.edu
authors: Kristen E
authors: KE
authors: Porter
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: cancer; cognitive function; cognitive status; geriatrics