Differences in total cognition and cerebrovascular function in female breast cancer survivors and cancer-free women
Tahnee L. Downs,
Eliza J. Whiteside,
Gaye Foot,
Dean E. Mills,
Edward S. Bliss
Affiliations
Tahnee L. Downs
School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia; Molecular Biomarkers Research Group, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Eliza J. Whiteside
School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Health Research, Institute for Resilient Regions, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia; Molecular Biomarkers Research Group, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Gaye Foot
St. Andrew's Toowoomba Hospital, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia; Blush Cancer Care Inc, St Andrew's Hospital Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Dean E. Mills
School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia; Respiratory and Exercise Physiology Research Group, School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Health Research, Institute for Resilient Regions, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
Edward S. Bliss
School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia; Respiratory and Exercise Physiology Research Group, School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Health Research, Institute for Resilient Regions, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia; Molecular Biomarkers Research Group, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia; Corresponding author. School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.
Reduced cognition is often reported by breast cancer patients and survivors, but the mechanisms for this decline are yet to be determined. We compared the differences in cerebrovascular function and cognition in breast cancer survivors (n = 15) and cancer-free women (n = 15) matched by age and body mass index. Participants undertook anthropometric, mood, cardiovascular, exercise performance, strength, cerebrovascular, and cognitive measurements. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound was used to measure the cerebrovascular responsiveness (CVR) to physiological (hypercapnia; 5% carbon dioxide) and psychological stimuli. Breast cancer survivors had a lower CVR to hypercapnia (21.5 ± 12.8 vs 66.0 ± 20.9%, P < 0.001), CVR to cognitive stimuli (15.1 ± 1.5 vs 23.7 ± 9.0%, P < 0.001) and total composite cognitive score (100 ± 12 vs. 113 ± 7, P = 0.003) than cancer-free women. These parameters remained statistically different between the groups following adjustments for covariates using an analysis of co-variance. We observed significant correlations between multiple measures and exercise capacity the only variable positively correlated to all primary measures (CVR to hypercapnia, r = 0.492, P = 0.007; CVR to cognitive stimuli r = 0.555, P = 0.003; and total composite cognitive score, r = 0.625, P < 0.001). In this study, breast cancer survivors had lower cerebrovascular and cognitive function than age-matched cancer-free women, which may be attributable to the effects of cancer and cancer treatment on brain health.
