Exercise mitigates chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment in a mouse model of breast cancer.

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) has been a reoccurring side effect among breast cancer survivors. While many commonly used chemotherapeutic treatments do not cross the blood-brain-barrier they do suppress cell proliferation which has been associated with the suppression of hippocampal neurogenesis. Previous studies have demonstrated that cancer likely plays into the suppression of neuronal proliferation in the hippocampus as well, which is explored further in this study. This is important as literature has reported that neurogenesis enhances cognitive and affective performance while the suppression of neurogenesis hampers functioning in these areas. Exercise has been a common method to promote neurogenesis where preclinical studies have shown its promise in mediating the effects of CICI. However, exploration of the potential benefit of exercise in breast cancer with chemotherapeutic treatment is still needed. Here, the role of exercise is investigated in the area of CICI along with the use of a mouse model of breast cancer.