'Chemo Brain' Improved with Computer Games, Cancer Survivors Show Enhanced Cognitive Function

Could computer games be beneficial to chemo patients? A new study seems to think so.

According to Stanford researchers, breast cancer survivors who suffered from cognitive impairments due to chemotherapy, sometimes called chemo brain, showed enhanced cognitive functions after three months of playing online games, according to the researchers. These games targeted various cognitive skills, including those that influence verbal fluency and memory.

As the physical side effects of chemotherapy can be devastating to your health, including fatique, nausea and hair loss, many cancer patients also experience cognitive problems that affect their quality of life. Research shows that chemotherapy can change the brain, and damage cognitive functions.

The study included 41 breast cancer patients who were randomly assigned to either a group that completed computer exercises four times a week for three months, or a control group. Exercises included mentally rotating objects, word finding, route planning and puzzle solving.

The women who played the games showed markedly larger improvements in word finding, thinking speed and verbal memory, compared to the control group.

The women who played the games also reported fewer everyday cognitive function problems, according to the study.

These findings suggest that cancer patients with cognitive deficits might benefit from behavioral and non-pharmacological interventions such as brain training exercises, according to researchers.

The findings for the study are published in the journal Clinical Breast Cancer.