Your Brain On... Chemotherapy

Your Brain On... Chemotherapy

From Your Brain On by Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai

December 4, 2025 · 42 min · Season 6 · Episode 5

About this episode

This episode explores the cognitive effects of chemotherapy, commonly referred to as 'chemo brain', and discusses how lifestyle choices can aid recovery.

Chemotherapy saves lives. But for millions, it also comes with side effects of cognitive fog, memory lapses, slowed thinking, and emotional flattening. In the past, 'chemo brain' has sometimes been dismissed as anecdotal. But, as science has evolved, we've come to understand the very real shifts in attention, memory, processing speed, and emotional regulation underpinning the impairment. In this episode, we break down what's happening in the brain during treatment, why these changes arise, and how healthier lifestyle choices can support our recovery. In this episode, we explore: • What 'chemo brain' really is (and why chemotherapy itself isn't the only thing contributing to it) • How inflammation, hormonal shifts, anesthesia, sleep disruption, and chronic stress impact cognition during cancer • The latest research on structural and functional brain changes during treatment • Why many cognitive effects are temporary (and how neuroplasticity supports recovery) • How cognitive fog intersects with identity loss and grief • The role of nutrition in supporting clarity, energy, memory, and mood during chemotherapy • How to navigate food fears, misinformation, and "miracle cancer diets"…

People in this episode

Host: Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai

Guest: DR. LIZ O'RIORDAN

Topics covered

  • chemotherapy
  • cognitive effects
  • chemo brain
  • neuroplasticity
  • nutrition
  • mental health
  • patient advocacy

Keywords

  • chemo brain
  • cognitive fog
  • memory lapses
  • neuroplasticity
  • nutrition
  • cancer treatment
  • mental health
  • patient advocacy

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