VA Research Currents archive
In This Issue
Fall 2014
PDF version
New studies
Some studies have suggested that lithium, used widely to treat bipolar disorder, may help prevent suicide. A new trial, expected to involve more than 1,800 Veterans at 28 VA sites, will test the theory
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Key Findings
An experimental drug being tested in lab studies at the Bronx VA not only blocks plaque-forming amyloid, but also spurs new brain cells
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In a study by VA researchers and colleagues, patients who walked briskly for 45 minutes, three times a week, showed improvements in their Parkinson's symptoms. They were also less depressed and less tired
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A VA study of nearly 800 National Guard and Reserve troops found that soldiers reporting more unit cohesion tended to be more resilient to mental health problems, including PTSD
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Journal scan
A team at the Phoenix VA published promising findings from a clinical trial of a newer method for knee replacement surgery, called kinematic alignment
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A VA study of homeless Veterans found that nearly all owned a mobile
phone and were interested in receiving calls or texts about appointments and other health matters
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Quarter-century lookback
Diabetes and vascular disease can lead to serious foot ulcers that sometimes require amputation. A longtime VA clinician-researcher looks back at a 1989 study she did on the problem and talks about how the field has advanced
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Technology horizons
Researchers and engineers at VA's Atlanta-based Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation are working on new technology to help people with vision loss get around independently...
Awards and milestones
A dynamic research duo at the Bronx VA Medical Center received a prestigious Service to America medal for their work on behalf of Veterans and others with spinal cord injury
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Fast findings
A team with the Durham VA Medical Center and Duke University reviewed past studies that compared shared medical appointments with usual care for patients with diabetes. They found the shared appointments were effective, by and large
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PTSD tied to autoimmune disorders
In a study of more than 666,000 Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, those with PTSD were more likely to have autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, inflammation of the thyroid, and inflammatory bowel disease
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Study reveals link between medical marijuana, opioid overdoses
States that allow medical marijuana tend to have lower rates of overdose from opioid painkillers, according to a study by VA and the University of Pennsylvania
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An international team including a VA researcher has found that a compound in the exotic mangosteen fruit may help combat a dangerous eye condition
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A VA study shows that post-stent patients who delay filling their prescription for an anti-clot drug are at more than twice the risk for heart attack or death within 90 days of hospital discharge
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VA researchers in Kansas City, Mo., gained more insight on a protein that they say may thwart an aggressive form of breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer as well
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