Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairments: White matter pathologies.

Whilst chemotherapeutic agents show promising results in the amelioration of cancerous tumors, patients often experience cognitive disturbances associated with chemotherapy long after treatment has ceased. Research has suggested that the structural integrity of white matter fibres in the brain are susceptible to the harmful effects of chemotherapy. Post-chemotherapy, white matter tracts often display altered morphology with a reduction in glial cells such as oligodendrocytes. Demyelination, gliosis and leukoencephalopathy during or post chemotherapy is associated with changes in processing speed and IQ. Thus, understanding the relationship between chemotherapy, white matter damage and cognition is warranted. This review presents evidence for chemotherapy induced white matter damage highlighting the importance of implementing behavioral and pharmological strategies to prevent or reverse such acute toxicity in the brain.

A prospective study of the rehabilitation of the above-knee amputee with rigid dressing. Comparison of immediate and delayed ambulation and the role of physical therapists and prosthetists.

Twenty-four above-knee amputees (AKA) treated with rigid plaster dressings were randomized to receive ambulation on pylon within 24 hours of surgery or at time of suture removal. Casts were applied by physical therapists in half of each group, and by a prosthesist in the other half. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups with respect to age, sex, stump length, gait characteristics and wound healing. Time to prescription of final prosthetis was similar in all groups. Specifically, there was no delay in the group ambulated immediately. The immediate ambulators did have significantly greater stump pain requiring more analgesia than the group ambulated after suture removal. Patients with case applied by physical therapists used their prostheses more than patients with cases applied by prosthetists. There was no detectable difference among treatment groups with regard to participation in therapy, acceptance of prosthesis, and psychological status. Recommendation for management of AKA's include: use of rigid dressing; ambulation on pylon after suture removal; utilization of physical therapist for application of rigid dressings and alignment of pylon.