Neurofeedback and Post Cancer Cognitive Impairment or “Chemo Brain”

For many people going through the challenges of cancer and its treatment, the effects of chemotherapy are some of the hardest to bear. One area that it significantly impacts one’s quality of life and ability to function both at home and at work is in one’s mental functioning.

Jean Alvarez, Ph.D. conducted a research study (using the Zengar NeurOptimal neurofeedback system I use in my practice) on 23 women that went through chemotherapy for cancer. All women reported cognitive impairment as well as other issues, including sleep disturbances, fatigue and depression.

You can read her abstract of “The Effect of EEG Biofeedback on Reducing Post Cancer Cognitive Impairment” here: https://ict.sagepub.com/search/results?fulltext=april+12%2C+2013&x=0&y=0&submit=yes&journal_set=spict&src=selected&andorexactfulltext=and

Her results were quite amazing – all women experienced significant improvement in all areas, and their long-term results ultimately equaled those of people in the general population.

In my practice, I’ve had a number of people use NeurOptimal to keep themselves sharp while going through chemotherapy and other illnesses. One woman said that she credits the NeurOptimal sessions for enabling her to continue working during her chemotherapy treatment -- and maybe more importantly, keeping her feeling mentally balanced and stable during one of the hardest times in her life.

Another client, experiencing Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or “Lou Gehrig’s disease,” did NeurOptimal sessions for as long as he could. He said that it kept him mentally sharp far longer than he believed he would have been without it.

My friend and colleague Sara first came to know NeurOptimal as a way of dealing with the cognitive impairment she was experiencing from Lyme disease – the inflammation had affected her brain in such a way that she felt foggy and scattered, without even realizing just how much it was affecting her. After the NeurOptimal sessions, she said it helped her feel like “the different pieces of [her] brain were able to come together.” She was so impressed she bought her own system, and became a certified trainer. She also helps me run sessions for clients in my office!

So, if you or a loved one is experiencing chemotherapy, do yourself or them a favor and give them some NeurOptimal sessions while they are going through it. Help keep their minds operating at full or better speed!

Hugs,

Martha