Achievers: OU College of Medicine researcher earns grant to study ‘chemo brain’

Anna Csiszar, M.D., Ph.D., a researcher in the Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging and a professor in the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, has been awarded a $1.6 million federal grant to study a promising new hypothesis to address "chemo brain."

Chemo brain, formally known as chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment, which can include symptoms such as difficulty focusing, processing information, learning new tasks, and planning or making decisions.

“It’s very frustrating for cancer survivors to experience these long-term side effects,” Csiszar said. “It often causes problems in the workforce when people are unable to focus on their work. And because the survival rate for cancer is increasing, more and more patients are suffering from chemo brain. Furthermore, older adults are at the highest risk of developing cancer, and they may already be experiencing some of the cognitive challenges associated with aging, such as dementia. Adding another deficit can significantly impact the functioning and independence of older patients, leading to faster decline even after they have survived cancer.”

Csiszar, who received the grant from the National Cancer Institute, focuses on aging and age-related cognitive impairment in her research lab.

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