Brain Health
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Among the key topics in the area of
brain health that VA researchers are studying is traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Department of Defense estimates that
22 percent of all combat casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan are brain
injuries. TBI is also a significant cause of disability outside of military
settings, most often as the result of assaults, falls, automobile accidents, or
sports injuries. It can involve symptoms ranging from headaches, irritability,
and sleep disorders to memory problems, slower thinking, and depression.
* For
more information on research devoted to brain health see our topic pages on Alzheimer's
Disease, Depression, Mental Health, Parkinson's
Disease, and Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD).
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VA
Research Spotlight is a monthly roundup of research news
on topics affecting Veterans' health.
In honor of Brain Awareness Week, our
focus for this edition is on research that looks at brain injury, neurodegenerative disease, and
mental health.
To what extent does loneliness contribute to depression in
Veterans? A VA-funded study has addressed that relatively unexplored question.
(02/28/2018)
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VA has launched a pilot telehealth program that will give rural
Veterans with PTSD remote access to psychotherapy and related services. The
effort builds on years of prior research showing how PTSD therapy can be
delivered effectively via video. (02/15/2018)
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The drug prazosin, used
widely to help ease PTSD nightmares, did no better than placebo in a large VA
trial. Despite the apparent overall failure, the researchers contend there are
subgroups of Veterans who do in fact benefit from the treatment. (02/08/2018)
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Two Boston-based psychologists with VA's National Center for
PTSD are at the forefront of understanding the long-term biological impacts of
PTSD, including accelerated aging at the cellular level. (01/16/2018)
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A study from the Madison VA Hospital in Wisconsin has linked
structural damage in the white matter of the brain to chronic musculoskeletal
pain in Gulf War Veterans. (10/26/2017)
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Dr. Elaine Peskind has been awarded the VA
Rehabilitation Research and Development Service's highest honor—the Paul B.
Magnuson Award. It is given to acknowledge entrepreneurship, humanitarianism,
and dedication in service to Veterans. (Feb.
14, 2018)
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Dr. Ann McKee, chief
of neuropathology at VA Boston Healthcare System, was named 2017 Bostonian of
the Year by the Boston Globe, for her groundbreaking work on chronic
traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition that occurs after long-term,
repetitive injuries to the brain. (Dec. 18, 2017)
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Dr. Racine Brown is a
post-doctoral fellow at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa. He’s
involved in research that is based largely on the VA TBI Model System. The
initiative produces data that are intended to assist VA in planning for care
and support of the many Veterans and families affected by traumatic brain
injury. (Feb. 14, 2018)
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Lab study suggests curcumin could improve memory, mood in
Gulf War illness
Curcumin may lead to better cognition and mood for those
with Gulf War illness, according to a rat study by Olin E. Teague Veterans'
Medical Center and Texas A&M researchers. Curcumin is a natural antioxidant
compound found in turmeric and other plants, and is sometimes sold as an herbal
supplement. Rats with simulated Gulf War illness symptoms were treated with
either curcumin or a placebo for 30 days. Those in the curcumin group had
better cognitive and mood function, based on behavioral tests. They also had
better neurogenesis (growth and development of nerve tissue) and lower
inflammation than the placebo group. The researchers hypothesize that changes
in gene expression caused by curcumin could improve memory and mood symptoms
related to Gulf War illness. (Brain,
Behavior, and Immunity, Feb.
15, 2018)
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Memory tests are accurate for diagnosing Alzheimer's
Memory tests are able
to differentiate between those with and without Alzheimer's disease, found a
review by researchers from several VA systems. In the 47 studies included by
the researchers, measures of immediate and delayed memory had high diagnostic
accuracy for Alzheimer's. Memory tests had lower accuracy for diagnosing mild
cognitive impairment, based on 38 studies. While memory tests and other
psychological testing can be useful for diagnosing Alzheimer's and other cognitive
deficits, they are not required in the current diagnosis criteria. The
researchers suggest that these tests should be emphasized when diagnosing the
conditions. (Neuropsychology
Review, December 2017)
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