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NEUROLOGY

Treating cancer therapy–related cognitive impairment

Nature Medicine volume 26, pages 1174–1175 (2020)Cite this article

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Metformin can promote the regeneration of neural precursor cell populations and improve cognitive function in a preclinical model of cranial radiation and a pilot clinical study of children after cranial radiation and chemotherapy.

Cranial radiation and chemotherapy are central to the successful treatment of many brain tumors. However, these therapies frequently cause long-lasting neurological deficits, especially when they are administered during childhood as the brain is still developing. Cancer therapy–related cognitive impairment is characterized by deficits in memory, attention, speed of information processing and multitasking. In this issue of Nature Medicine, Ayoub et al. investigate whether it is possible to promote the recovery of neural precursor cells (NPCs) and enable the recuperation of brain structure and function after cranial radiotherapy during childhood1. They find that the anti-hyperglycemic medication metformin shows promise as a treatment for cancer therapy–related cognitive impairment.

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Fig. 1: Use of metformin to treat NPC dysfunction after cancer therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Erin M. Gibson & Michelle Monje

  2. Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Michelle Monje

Authors
  1. Erin M. Gibson
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  2. Michelle Monje
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Correspondence to Michelle Monje.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Gibson, E.M., Monje, M. Treating cancer therapy–related cognitive impairment. Nat Med 26, 1174–1175 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-1014-1

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