Episodic Memory and Recollection Network Disruptions Following Chemotherapy Treatment in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Review of Neuroimaging Findings

Abstract

Long-term memory disturbances are amongst the most common and disruptive cognitive symptoms experienced by breast cancer survivors following chemotherapy. To date, most clinical assessments of long-term memory dysfunction in breast cancer survivors have utilized basic verbal and visual memory tasks that do not capture the complexities of everyday event memories. Complex event memories, including episodic memory and autobiographical memory, critically rely on hippocampal processing for encoding and retrieval. Systemic chemotherapy treatments used in breast cancer commonly cause neurotoxicity within the hippocampus, thereby creating a vulnerability to memory impairment. We review structural and functional neuroimaging studies that have identified disruptions in the recollection network and related episodic memory impairments in chemotherapy-treated breast cancer survivors, and argue for the need to better characterize hippocampally mediated memory dysfunction following chemotherapy treatments. Given the importance of autobiographical memory for a person’s sense of identity, ability to plan for the future, and general functioning, under-appreciation of how this type of memory is impacted by cancer treatment can lead to overlooking or minimizing the negative experiences of breast cancer survivors, and neglecting a cognitive domain that may benefit from intervention strategies.

The relationship between psychological distress and cognitive failure among breast cancer survivors: a network analysis

“…The edge between distractibility and memory had the strongest association among the internal factors of cognitive failure. Notably, long-term attention and memory loss were the most common and debilitating cognitive symptoms that most breast cancer survivors experienced after chemotherapy (Bradley-Garcia et al, 2022 ). Women diagnosed with breast cancer and given adjuvant therapy were primarily affected by impairment in their concentration and memory, and a few reported an objective deterioration over time (Jenkins et al, 2006 ; Kim et al, 2023 ).…”