What Is the Difference Between Chemo Brain and Dementia?

July 08, 2023 / Dementia

It is very common for aging individuals to have increased difficulty remembering details, such as important dates or where you put things such as your phone or your car keys. This becomes more common with each passing year, but it may also be triggered by cancer or its treatments. Individuals undergoing chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer may begin to experience chemo brain, which is a term used to describe the brain fog and forgetfulness that some patients experience when undergoing cancer treatments. If you are aging and receiving treatment for cancer, it may be concerning and difficult to determine if your forgetfulness is being caused by what we refer to as “chemo brain” or if it is a symptom of dementia. Senior Care AZ, a senior placement agency in Arizona, is breaking down the differences between these two common causes of forgetfulness: what they both are, how they are similar, and how they may be different.

What Is Chemo Brain?

Chemo brain, or chemo fog, is a common term that cancer patients use to describe the common feeling of forgetfulness, brain fog, confusion, or thinking and memory problems that they will deal with when undergoing chemotherapy. Chemo brain is not only caused by the chemotherapy; in some cases, it may be caused by the cancer itself. Individuals with a brain tumor may experience changes in cognitive function due to the location of their tumor. Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and surgery, can also cause this brain fog. Conditions that may develop as a result of cancer treatment, such as anemia, fatigue, sleep or nutritional difficulties, hormone problems, stress, anxiety, and depression, may also be the cause of chemo brain in cancer patients.

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term to describe the specific medical conditions that cause memory problems during advanced aging. Disorders grouped under the umbrella term “dementia” are caused by abnormal changes in the brain that trigger a decline in thinking skills, or cognitive abilities, severe enough to impact the activities of daily life and independent functioning. Dementia also affects an individual’s behavior, feelings, and relationships. The most common disease under the umbrella term of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases.

How Are Chemo Brain and Dementia Similar?

Chemo brain mimics the signs and symptoms of dementia, so there will be many similarities between the two. Individuals with chemo brain and seniors with dementia may experience disorganized behavior or thinking, confusion, memory loss, difficulty concentrating or learning, or a tendency towards making poor or dangerous decisions. Dementia will begin to interfere with independence and the activities of daily life, and individuals dealing with chemo brain report feeling less sharp and having difficulty completing some of their daily tasks due to their brain fog.

Chemo Brain vs. Dementia: What Is the Difference?

While the symptoms of dementia and chemo brain tend to seem similar, there are some key differences between the two that can help you determine if you are dealing with chemo brain or dementia. Some key differences include:

The Duration and Progression of Symptoms

Individuals dealing with chemo brain and dementia will have varying durations and progressions of their memory loss symptoms. Chemo brain may last for just a short period of time or several years, but it has a tendency to improve over time, especially in individuals who have completed their cancer treatment with successful results. Dementia will typically worsen over time, and there is no cure for it.

Memory Loss Awareness

Individuals who are dealing with chemo brain have a tendency to recognize their lapses in memory on their own, without them being pointed out by a family member or friend. Dementia patients have difficulty recognizing their own memory loss, and it is often pointed out to them by someone else in order for them to notice.

Recollection of Past Memories

Individuals with chemo brain have little difficulty recalling memories from their past when prompted or given cues, while individuals with dementia are often unable to recall basic information, even when prompted.

Different Side Effects

Individuals experiencing chemo brain will have different side effects than individuals suffering from dementia. In an individual with chemo brain, their speech pattern will generally be unaffected by their chemo brain, while individuals with dementia may experience changes to and difficulty with their speech. Individuals with dementia often deal with hallucinations and wandering, both of which do not typically affect individuals with chemo brain.

Can Chemotherapy Cause Dementia?

Due to the variables across research studies, it is difficult to determine if chemo brain can cause dementia. There is such a wide range of health conditions and different risk variables among cancer patients, such as age, sex, weight, inflammation, the type of chemotherapy they are receiving, and the type of cancer being treated, that it is impossible to control every variable in a study on cancer patients and dementia. Some clinical studies show a direct link between receiving chemotherapy treatment and cognitive decline that may lead to dementia later in life, but other studies argue that a positive relationship exists between chemotherapy and dementia, meaning individuals who have survived cancer are less likely to develop dementia. These conflicting results have to do with many variables, including how well they care for themselves after surviving cancer and their general overall health.

How Does Chemotherapy Affect Older Adults?

For older adults, it’s valuable to know and understand the risk factors for treating cancer so they can choose the best option for them. There are potential risks and rewards to any treatment option. Chemotherapy is one of the most effective cancer treatments, but it is known to impact quality of life, and there is the potential that it may have a long-lasting negative impact on older cancer survivors. Seniors are generally more frail than younger adults and may have multiple diseases or medical conditions, which puts them at an increased risk for chemo-tehrapy related toxicities. Working with your physician to determine your best treatment option when facing cancer is the best course of action to determine how you can continue to live a quality life while receiving the necessary treatments.