title: The Role of Oxidative Stress in Etiopathogenesis of Chemotherapy Induced Cognitive Impairment (CICI)-"Chemobrain".
abstract: Chemobrain or chemotherapy induced cognitive impairment (CICI) represents a new clinical syndrome characterised by memory, learning and motor function impairment. As numerous patients with cancer are long-term survivors, CICI represent a significant factor which may interfere with their quality of life. However, this entity CICI must be distinguished from other cognitive syndromes and addressed accordingly. At the present time, experimental and clinical research suggests that CICI could be induced by numerous factors including oxidative stress. This type of CNS injury has been previously described in cancer patients treated with common anti-neoplastic drugs such as doxorubicine, carmustine, methotrexate and cyclophosphamide. It seems that all these pharmacological factors promote neuronal death through a final common pathway represented by TNF alpha (tumour necrosis factor). However, as cancer in general is diagnosed more commonly in the aging population, the elderly oncological patient must be treated with great care since aging per se is also impacted by oxidative stress and potentiually by TNF alpha deleterious action on brain parenchyma. In this context, some patients may develop cognitive dysfunction well before the appearance of CICI. In addition, chemotherapy may worsen their cognitive function. Therefore, at the present time, there is an acute need for development of effective therapeutic methods to prevent CICI as well as new methods of early CICI diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: 1Research Center of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Romania; 2Filantropia City Hospital Craiova, Romania.
authors.forename: Amelia Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gaman
authors.affiliation: 3Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uzoni
authors.affiliation: 1Research Center of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349, Romania; 3Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Aurel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Popa-Wagner
authors.affiliation: 4Biochemistry Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babes" Timisoara.
authors.forename: Anghel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andrei
authors.affiliation: 5Griffith University School of Medicine, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, QLD 4222, Australia.
authors.forename: Eugen-Bogdan
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Petcu
keywords: aging; cancer; chemobrain; chemotherapy induced cognitive impairment; oxidative stress