chemo brain

American

[kee-moh brayn] / ˈki moʊ ˌbreɪn /

noun

Medicine/Medical Informal.

a common side effect of some cancer treatments that is characterized by cognitive impairments, such as memory and recall difficulties, confusion, difficulty concentrating, or loss of mental alertness.

Example Sentences

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chemo brain

Many people undergoing chemotherapy experience a frustrating side effect often called "chemo brain."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026

"From our previous work, we know that this gamma sensory stimulation has anti-inflammatory effects, so we decided to use the chemo brain model to test whether sensory gamma stimulation can be beneficial."

From Science Daily ● Mar. 6, 2024

She completed that with "chemo brain" but said the university was "amazing" at supporting her.

From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2022

But little has been known about whether being active might also alter the severity of chemo brain.

From New York Times ● Oct. 6, 2021

Marjie Popkin thought she had chemo brain, that fuzzy-headed forgetful state she figured was a result of her treatment for ovarian cancer.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 18, 2010

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023