Disrupted Large-Scale Functional Brain Networks in Breast Cancer Survivors

ICCTF International Cognition and Cancer Task Force Conference ICCTF International Cognition and Cancer Task Force Conference March 15March 15--17 17 thth 2012 2012 ––PARIS PARIS --FRANCEFRANCE
DISRUPTED LARGE-SCALE
FUNCTIONAL BRAIN NETWORKS
IN BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS
Shelli Kesler, PhD
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford Cancer Institute

ICCTF International Cognition and Cancer Task Force Conference ICCTF International Cognition and Cancer Task Force Conference March 15March 15--17 17 thth 2012 2012 ––PARIS PARIS --FRANCEFRANCE
Small-Worldness
6 degrees of separation
High clustering + short path lengths

ICCTF International Cognition and Cancer Task Force Conference ICCTF International Cognition and Cancer Task Force Conference March 15March 15--17 17 thth 2012 2012 ––PARIS PARIS --FRANCEFRANCE
Brain Networks Have Small-World Topology
High local connectivity, few long-range
connections
balance functional segregation with functional
integration
Measurement of small-world network
statistics indicates the network’s
capacity for parallel processing
efficiency
resilience against pathological attack

ICCTF International Cognition and Cancer Task Force Conference ICCTF International Cognition and Cancer Task Force Conference March 15March 15--17 17 thth 2012 2012 ––PARIS PARIS --FRANCEFRANCE
Disruption of Large-Scale Networks in Breast
Cancer
Diffuse structural abnormalities
volumetric and diffusion MRI
efficient function depends on stable structure
Prefrontal functional abnormalities
PFC part of distributed networks; most reciprocal
connections
some studies show over-activation less
efficient network?
Processing speed deficits, cognitive fatigue
less efficient network?
Objective tests often “normal”, don’t converge
with subjective report
less efficient network?