Imaging Macaques Prior to and After Chemotherapy Treatment (IMPACT) Research Study

Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) affects many patients with cancer yet is poorly understood. Clinical research has increased significantly in this area during the past decade, but many questions remain. For example, it is currently unknown which chemotherapies are most neurotoxic or what molecular mechanisms result in brain injury. Answers to questions such as these will be critical for the development of effective interventions for CRCI.

The purpose of our IMPACT study is to establish a rhesus macaque model of CRCI. We will non-invasively measure functional and structural brain networks using MRI scans. We will correlate these data with cognitive test scores and determine how well this model represents human CRCI. Our study will impact the field of CRCI research with improved understanding regarding the mechanisms of this syndrome.

The IMPACT study is being conducted in collaboration with Drs. Bill Hopkins, Steven Schapiro and Michele Mulholland at the Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research. It is funded by the UT Austin/MD Anderson Collaboration.