Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
220,595 studies31 sourcesUpdated 57 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0CNS Spectrums

Managing chemobrain: Translational insights and evidence-based psychological interventions

  • Tamás Szekeres1
  • Márta Virág2
  • Magdolna Dank3
  • Péter Kovács1,4,5
5 affiliations
  1. 1Rehabilitation Department, National Institute of Oncology, Hungary
  2. 2Department of Neurointervention and Neurosurgery, Semmelweis University, Hungary
  3. 3National Institute of Oncology, Hungary
  4. 4Department of Personality Psychology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hungary
  5. 5National Tumor Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Oncology, Hungary
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

With the improving survival rates of malignant tumors, the focus of attention in cancer research is shifting toward a better understanding of long-term treatment-related adverse effects that impact quality of life, with particular focus on cancer-related cognitive impairment. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as “chemobrain” in the literature, manifests as deficits in attention, memory, processing speed, and executive functions. Although the frequency of objectively measured cognitive deficits detected through neuropsychological assessments are moderate, subjective complaints often result in significant deterioration of quality of life. The present review aims to provide a multidisciplinary overview of chemobrain, emphasizing its epidemiological characteristics, neurobiological and psychosocial factors, and options for evidence-based psychological interventions. Alongside neurotoxic, inflammatory, hormonal, and neuroendocrine mechanisms associated with chemotherapy, the review highlights distress, cognitive compensation, and discrepancies between subjective complaints and objectively measurable cognitive deficits. Diagnostic challenges and evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches—especially cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based interventions, and rehabilitation—are also discussed. This analysis highlights the complex nature of chemobrain and the need for further research to develop targeted, individualized therapeutic protocols.

Related

  1. Community-based interventions for managing frailty among people experiencing homelessness: a systematic review
    Natasha Palipane, Evelyn Callahan, Briony Hudson +7
    BMC Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Epidemiology & public healthCrossref
  2. Healthcare professionals' perceptions of managing psychological needs in palliative and end-of-life care: an All-Ireland mixed-methods survey.
    Niall Galligan, Barry Quinn, Rory Cousins +7
    BMC palliative carePeer-reviewedCC BYFull textEpidemiology & public healthEurope PMC
  3. Bedside pharmacist interventions for managing intravenous drug incompatibilities in critically ill patients
    Allan Carneiro de Souza, Joiciane Dias Rodrigues Neves, André Luis Félix da Silva Terres +5
    Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacyPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textPharmacology & toxicologyEurope PMCEurope PMCPMC
  4. The Effectiveness of Non-surgical Interventions for Managing Chronic Low Back Pain.
    Kushwanth Elanchezhian, Karthik Devaraj, Siva Saravanan +2
    Journal of orthopaedic case reportsPeer-reviewedCC BY-NCFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMCPMC
  5. Scoping review of equity considerations in digitally enabled patient education interventions for self-managing chronic musculoskeletal pain
    Hina Khalid, Nourah Basalem, Sanniya Saleem +6
    Frontiers in public healthPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textPharmacology & toxicologyEurope PMCCrossref

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{szekeres2026managing,
  title = {{Managing chemobrain: Translational insights and evidence-based psychological interventions}},
  author = {Tamás Szekeres and Márta Virág and Magdolna Dank and Péter Kovács},
  journal = {CNS Spectrums},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1017/s1092852926101096},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1017/s1092852926101096},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Managing chemobrain: Translational insights and evidence-based psychological interventions
AU  - Tamás Szekeres
AU  - Márta Virág
AU  - Magdolna Dank
AU  - Péter Kovács
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/29
JO  - CNS Spectrums
DO  - 10.1017/s1092852926101096
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1017/s1092852926101096
AB  - With the improving survival rates of malignant tumors, the focus of attention in cancer research is shifting toward a better understanding of long-term treatment-related adverse effects that impact quality of life, with particular focus on cancer-related cognitive impairment. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as “chemobrain” in the literature, manifests as deficits in attention, memory, processing speed, and executive functions. Although the frequency of objectively measured cognitive deficits detected through neuropsychological assessments are moderate, subjective complaints often result in significant deterioration of quality of life. The present review aims to provide a multidisciplinary overview of chemobrain, emphasizing its epidemiological characteristics, neurobiological and psychosocial factors, and options for evidence-based psychological interventions. Alongside neurotoxic, inflammatory, hormonal, and neuroendocrine mechanisms associated with chemotherapy, the review highlights distress, cognitive compensation, and discrepancies between subjective complaints and objectively measurable cognitive deficits. Diagnostic challenges and evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches—especially cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based interventions, and rehabilitation—are also discussed. This analysis highlights the complex nature of chemobrain and the need for further research to develop targeted, individualized therapeutic protocols.
SN  - 1092-8529
SN  - 2165-6509
ER  -