Purpose: Little is known about the neural basis of subjective cancer-related cognitive changes. The purpose of this study was to explore salience network connectivity in relation to subjective executive and memory dysfunction in breast cancer survivors compared to controls.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of neuroimaging, subjective cognitive, clinical, and demographic data in chemotherapy-treated primary breast cancer survivors compared to frequency matched controls was used. Functional connectivity within salience network hubs (anterior cingulate, bilateral insula) was determined using resting state functional MRI. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to evaluate group differences and Spearman's rho correlations were examined among the behavioral measures and salience network connectivity.
Results: We included 65 breast cancer survivors and 71 controls. Survivors demonstrated greater subjective executive dysfunction and memory complaints (p < .001) and lower salience network connectivity (p < .05) than controls. Executive functioning correlated with bilateral insula and left anterior cingulate connectivity (rho > - 0.29, p < .05). Distress did not correlate with salience network connectivity.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that salience network connectivity may represent a biomarker of subjective cancer-related cognitive changes.
Implications for cancer survivors: Subjective cancer-related cognitive changes are common following treatment and associated with objective changes in brain connectivity.
Keywords: Breast cancer survivors; Cancer-related cognitive impairment; Executive function; Functional connectivity; Salience network; Subjective.
© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.