Researchers have found that repurposing a safe and affordable blood pressure medication may help prevent cancer-related cognitive impairment. NeuRA (Neuroscience Research Australia) PhD candidate, Delyse McCaffrey, led the study, ​‘Candesartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker, prevents cognitive impairment in female mice with mammary cancer’, which was published in @BrainBehavImm . “Up to 75% of cancer patients report cognitive symptoms, with around 30% experiencing persistent deficits that interfere with daily functioning and quality of life,” Ms McCaffrey said. “This can impact a person’s ability to think, learn, remember, or make decisions. Despite the profound economic and psychosocial burden, there are limited therapeutic options. "Cancer-related cognitive impairment is associated with a combination of factors, including neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction, with evidence suggesting dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which modulates these processes. “A key advantage of candesartan is its ability to cross the blood – brain barrier and modulate neurobiological processes linked to cognitive decline in cancer, making it an attractive candidate for repurposing to prevent cancer-related cognitive impairment,” Dr Walker said. She worked alongside her supervisors Dr Adam K. Walker and Professor Cynthia Shannon Weickert, and in collaboration with Professor @rayychan at @Flinders University and Professor Janette Vardy @VardyJanette at the @Sydney_Uni. You can read the full article here - neura.edu.au/news-media/medi… You can read the study here - sciencedirect.com/science/ar…