CSRD Research Career Scientist Award Application

Linda Chao博士的研究主要集中在了解海湾战争疾病(GWI)和改善 海湾战争退伍军人的健康状况。她目前的研究活动包括调查长期- GWI在衰老和神经退行性疾病背景下的长期后果。流行病学 研究已经将环境暴露，特别是杀虫剂暴露与帕金森氏病(PD)联系起来。 然而，还没有关于退伍军人中帕金森病发病率或流行率的系统研究。Dr。 赵目前的退伍军人奖励金(2I01CX000798-05)调查了帕金森病和前驱帕金森病的患病率 GW退伍军人。赵博士还有一个新资助的国防部(DOD)/国会指导 医学研究计划(CDMRP)拨款(W81XWH-21-0656)，调查患病率和 退伍军人轻度认知障碍(MCI)的病因分析MCI是一种认知能力下降的情况 对某人的年龄来说比预期的要大，但还没有严重到达到痴呆症的标准。因为MCI 与痴呆症风险增加有关，这项研究将对退伍军人管理局的医疗保健产生重大影响 因为在退伍军人中对MCI、阿尔茨海默病(AD)和帕金森病(PD)的早期诊断可能 当神经保护疗法可用时，促进有针对性地提供这些疗法。此外，在- 风险退伍军人可能会被建议采取生活方式的改变，这可能会降低他们患这些神经退行性疾病的风险 疾病。 海湾战争结束三十年后，海湾战争疾病(GWI)的有效治疗 据估计，影响25万GW退伍军人的多症状障碍仍难以捉摸。赵博士的研究已经 调查了GWI的循证治疗。最近完成的退伍军人奖励计划(I21CX001428) 显示改善了行为干预对退伍军人失眠的非药物治疗 GWI的睡眠和非睡眠症状均有。因为睡眠呼吸暂停通常与失眠并存，而且 由于许多退伍军人患有未经治疗的睡眠呼吸暂停，赵博士正在扩大这项研究的范围 对她新资助的睡眠呼吸暂停和失眠治疗相结合的干预的疗效 国防部/CDMRP拨款(W81XWH-21-1-0758)。 赵博士研究的另一个主要焦点是评估非药物作用的神经机制 延缓认知障碍和痴呆发病或进展的干预措施(最近 已完成国防部/CDMRP拨款W81XWH-17-1-0490；新资助的国防部/CDMRP拨款W81XWH-21-1-0147)。 痴呆症患病率预计在未来40年内在全球范围内增加两倍，投入巨大的资金和 情感代价。考虑到超过70%的退伍军人年龄在50岁及以上，而65岁及以上的退伍军人 是增长最快的年龄段，这方面对赵博士的研究计划也将有重大意义 对退伍军人管理局医疗保健的影响和相关性。

Dr. Linda Chao’s research has largely focused understanding Gulf War Illness (GWI) and improving health outcomes in Gulf War (GW) Veterans. Her current research activities include investigating the long- term consequences of GWI in the context of aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Epidemiological research has linked environmental exposures, particularly pesticide exposure, to Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, there has been no systematic research on incidence or prevalence of PD among GW veterans. Dr. Chao’s current VA Merit grant (2I01CX000798-05) investigates the prevalence of PD and prodromal PD in GW Veterans. Dr. Chao also has a newly funded Department of Defense (DOD)/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) grant (W81XWH-21-0656) that investigates the prevalence and etiology of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in GW Veterans. MCI is a condition where cognitive decline is greater than expected for one’s age but is not yet severe enough to meet the criteria for dementia. Because MCI has been linked to increased risk for dementia, this research will have a significant impact on VA Healthcare because the precocious diagnosis of MCI, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and PD in GW Veterans could facilitate the targeted delivery of neuroprotective therapies when they become available. Furthermore, at- risk Veterans may be counseled to adopt lifestyle changes that may lower their risk for these neurodegenerative diseases. Three decades after the end of the Gulf War, effective treatments for Gulf War Illness (GWI), the multisymptomatic disorder estimated to affect 250,000 GW Veterans, remain elusive. Dr. Chao’s research has investigated evidence-based treatments for GWI. Her recently completed VA Merit grant (I21CX001428) showed that treating insomnia in GW Veterans non-pharmacologically with a behavioral intervention improved both sleep and non-sleep symptoms of GWI. Because sleep apnea is commonly comorbid with insomnia, and because many GW Veterans have untreated sleep apnea, Dr. Chao is expanding this research by investigating the efficacy of an intervention that combines sleep apnea and insomnia treatment in her newly funded DOD/CDMRP grant (W81XWH-21-1-0758). Another major focus of Dr. Chao’s research is evaluating the neural mechanisms of non-pharmacological interventions to delay onset or slow progression of cognitive impairment and dementia (recently completed DOD/CDMRP grant W81XWH-17-1-0490; newly funded DOD/CDMRP grant W81XWH-21-1-0147). Dementia prevalence is expected to triple worldwide over the next 40 years at tremendous monetary and emotional cost. Considering that over 70% of Veterans are 50 years and older, and that Veterans 65 and older are the fastest growing age group, this aspect of Dr. Chao’s research program will also have significant impact and relevance on VA healthcare.