Cognitive Training and Brain Stimulation in Women with Cognitive Impairments Following Chemotherapy

Post-chemotherapy cognitive impairments (PCCI) affect many women who have undergone chemotherapy for breast cancer. These impairments often affect working memory, attention, and other cognitive functions and can significantly impair the quality of life of those affected. Some studies have shown that cognitive training can have positive effects on memory and cognitive performance. This cognitive training focuses on working memory, particularly through a task in which letters must be recalled in a specific order. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is increasingly being investigated as a potential means of improving cognitive functions. In this procedure, a weak electrical current is conducted through the scalp via adhesive electrodes. In Germany, tDCS is being investigated in clinical trials for the treatment of various conditions. To date, tDCS is not used as a routine treatment in everyday clinical practice.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether cognitive training combined with high-resolution transcranial direct current stimulation can help improve cognitive functions. Patients are randomly assigned to two groups: One group receives tDCS in combination with cognitive training (treatment arm). The other group receives the same cognitive training plus a placebo tDCS treatment (control arm). In this case, patients are given the impression of receiving a real treatment, but the current intensity is too low to deliver any actual electrical stimulation. The study is double-blind, meaning that neither the patients nor the researchers know which treatment is being administered. The study consists of a total of 9 training sessions over a period of three weeks, and the effects of the treatment are assessed before, during, and after the training, as well as four weeks after the treatment is completed. The outcomes being measured include, among other things, improvements in cognitive performance, the patients’ quality of life, and sleep quality.

Women between the ages of 18 and 65 who have undergone chemotherapy as part of breast cancer treatment and who report cognitive impairments at least 6 months after treatment are eligible to participate in the study. Participants must also be right-handed.