Pathological mechanisms of the psychiatric complications associated with radiotherapy for brain tumors

The neoplasms of the central nervous system represent a frequent and heterogeneous disease group, with treatment implying a combination of surgical intervention with both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Cerebral radiotherapy affects not only the tumor tissue but also the viable brain tissue, causing direct lesions to both the white matter and the gray matter and so leading to cognitive impairments, depressive and anxiety syndromes. The pathogenesis of psychiatric syndromes induces by radiotherapy is complex and not yet fully understood and the current review tries to summaries some of the possible pathogenic ways involved.