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. 2022 Oct 14;12(10):1390.
doi: 10.3390/brainsci12101390.

Chemobrain, Olfactory and Lifestyle Assessment in Onco-Geriatrics: Sex-Mediated Differences between Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy

Sara Invitto  1 , Mariangela Leucci  1 , Giuseppe Accogli  1 , Andrea Schito  1 , Claudia Nestola  2 , Vincenzo Ciccarese  3 , Ross Rinaldi  4 , Paolo Boscolo Rizzo  5 , Giacomo Spinato  6 , Silvana Leo  2
Affiliations

Chemobrain, Olfactory and Lifestyle Assessment in Onco-Geriatrics: Sex-Mediated Differences between Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy

Sara Invitto et al. Brain Sci. .

Abstract

A possible link between chemotherapy and cognitive impairment has been identified. In the literature, this condition is usually called chemobrain and can mostly affect some memory domain but can lead also to other cognitive impairments. Olfaction, which is known to be linked with cognitive domain and the nociception system, can also be affected by chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the main cognitive and olfactory abilities and the functional and nutritional state of a cohort of chemotherapy and immunotherapy onco-geriatric patients and control geriatrics subjects. Cognitive, olfactory, geriatric and nutritional assessments were performed through the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Sniffin' Sticks Screening 12, G8 test and a questionnaire on the adherence of the Mediterranean diet, respectively. Our findings show a gender effect on the MMSE. Overall results indicate more pronounced impairments both at the cognitive and frailty level regardless of the type of therapy. On the other hand, the Sniffin' Sticks performances highlight a significant decrease in olfactory perception ability of subjects following immunotherapy. Significant correlations between olfactory performance and MMSE and G8 scores were also found, as well as between MMSE and G8 measures.

Keywords: chemobrain; chemotherapy; cognitive impairment; frailty; immunotherapy; olfaction.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Raincloud plot of gender differences on MMSE showing significantly lower scores (p < 0.001) for women (W, Group 2) compared to men (M, Group 1). Median, interquartile range and maximum and minimum scores are represented by the thick vertical line, the box and the right and left whiskers, respectively. Curves and individual dots represent the data distribution.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Raincloud plot relative to the trend toward significance (p = 0.054) of gender variable on G8 measures. Higher scores (i.e., lower frailty) were reported for men (M, Group 1). Conventions as in Figure 1.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Raincloud plot showing the Sniffin’ Test scores of Group 1 (i.e., chemotherapy; ChT), Group 2 (i.e., immunotherapy; ImT) and Group 3 (i.e., geriatric control group). Patients treated with immunotherapy showed lower scores (p = 0.05) compared to chemotherapy and controls. Conventions as in Figure 1.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Scatterplots show significant correlations, as reported in Table 5, between MMSE, Sniffin’ test and G8.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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