OTAC Spring Symposium a. Title: The Benefit of Cognitive Training and Neurofeedback on Post-Cancer Cognitive Impairment b. Presenter’s name and credentials:
Guy L. McCormack, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Professor at Samuel Merritt University Occupational Therapy Department c) OTAC ID: OTAC ID/001021 d) Mailing Addresses:
Guy L. McCormack, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA d) Samuel Merritt University Occupational Therapy Department
450-30th Street, Room 4710
Oakland, CA. 94609
415725-0111 (home)
5108691537 (fax)
Samuel Merritt MOT Research Assistants:
Takuma Kishimoto, MOTS & Christine Van Gorkum, MOTS: Student OTAC Members e) E-mail address: gmccormack@samuelmerritt.edu
or g_mccormack@mindspring.com
. f) Affiliation: Samuel Merritt University Occupational Therapy Department g) 35-word description of the presentation: Many breast cancer survivors experience cognitive impairment during or after cancer treatment that affects daily occupations. A growing body of research suggests that computer-based training remediates the aspects of cognitive impairment involved in daily living. h. How much time- 2 hours

Part 2
Title: The Benefit of Cognitive Training and Neurofeedback on Post-Cancer Cognitive Impairment
Time requested: 2 hours
Specific Learning Objectives:
1.
Be able to describe how cognitive training and neurofeedback improves executive function in persons with post-cancer cognitive impairment.
2.
Understand how cognitive training fits into the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework and primary care.
3.
Be able to identify the specific side effects of chemotherapy for women with breast cancer and the appropriate interventions.
4.
Differentiate between the benefits of compensation and remediation. d) Outline of Presentation:
1. Review of the literature and evidence.
2. Discussion on rationale for the use of cognitive training for post-cancer breast cancer surviviors.
3. Demonstration of methodology, resources, and equipment.
4. Implications for occupation-based practice with cognitive training.
e) Significance of topic: The most recent figures available suggest that there are 220,097 women and
2,078 men in the United States diagnosed with breast cancer (Center for Disease Control, 2014).
According to the American Cancer Society there will be approximately 232,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in women in the U.S. this year. Life expectancy for women with breast cancer has been improving with early detection and better interventions due to advances in medical science.
However, Post-cancer cognitive impairment (PCCI) is reported in a substantial number of breast cancer survivors (Walker, 2013; Janelsins,et. al., 2011; McHenry, 2012). The symptoms of post-cancer cognitive impairment (PCCI) include deficits in memory, attention, problem solving, and visual speed of processing. In addition, chemotherapy can also cause depression, fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite which makes it difficult to participate in activities of daily living. The preservation of cognitive ability is an important factor that contributes to the quality of life and cognitive processes required to plan and execute goal directed instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and tasks such as shopping, cooking, and dressing. The occupational therapy literature suggests the use of compensatory strategies which include activities of daily living management, lifestyle management, sleep and fatigue management to cope with the memory impairment but does not address remediation strategies to manage the cognitive issues (AOTA Fact Sheet, 2011; Penfold, 1996). Based on a recent studies, the use of virtual context that is NeuroOptimal neurofeedback training and Brain HQ training helps to remediate cognitive impairment by promoting neuroplasticity in the regions of the brain that have been affected by chemotherapy
(Alvarez, Meyer, Grandoff & Lundy, 2013).

How hands-on will be done: We will demonstrate a protocol for using the virtual context cognitive training on participants so members of the audience can actually see the images on the screen and hear the music via the LCD projector.
g) Area of Practice: Physical disabilities and Cognitive Rehabilitation
Reference list:
Alvarez, J., Meyer, F., Grandoff, D., Lundy, A. (2014). The Effect of EEG Biofeedback on Reducing
Postcancer Cognitive Impairment. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 12(6): 475-487.
American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancerkey-statistics. Retrieved 11/2/2014.
American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. Fact Sheet. (2011). The role of occupational therapy in oncology. 4720 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814-3425. Developed by Longpre, S. & Newman, R. for AOTA.
Biernaskie, J. and Corbett, D. (2001). Eriched rehabilitative training promotes improved forelimb motor function and enhanced dendritic growth after focal ischemic injury. The Journal of Neuroscience.
21(14):5272-5280.Alvarez,J, Meyer,F.,Grandoff, D and Lundy, A. (2014). The Effect of EEG Biofeedback on Reducing Postcancer Cognitive Impairment. Integrative Cancer Therapies.12(6) 475-487.
Kesler,S., Hadi Hossenini,SM, Heckler,C,etal.(2013). Cognitive Training for Improving Function in
Chemotherapy-Treated Breast Cancer Survivors. Clinical Breast Cancer. 13(4) 299-306.
Lagos, RA.(2013). Towards Diagnostic Imaging of ChemoBrain Phenomenon, Nuclear
Medicine/Molecular Imaging Presentation. RSNA, November 27 12:15-12:45 pm, Chicago, IL.
Von Ah, D., Carpenter, J. S., Saykin, A., Monahan, P. O., Wu, J., Yu, M., Rebok, G., Ball, K., Schneider, B.,
Weaver, M., Tallman, E., & Unverzagt, F. (2012) Advanced cognitive training for breast cancer survivors:
A randomized controlled trial. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 135(3), 799-809, doi:10.1007/s10549-012-2210-6 1
Wolinsky FD, Vander Weg MW, Howren MB, Jones MP, Dotson MM (2013). A Randomized Controlled
Trial of Cognitive Training Using a Visual Speed of Processing Intervention in Middle Aged and Older
Adults. PLoS ONE 8(5): e61624. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061624.

Part 3
Submitted CV, Bio Sketch and photo electronically
Takuma Kishimoto, MOTS & Christine Van Gorkum, MOTS are graduate students who are research assistants in Dr. Guy McCormack’s laboratory. Both Takuma and Christine are student members of
OTAC. More information will be provided as requested.