CSRD Research Career Scientist Award Application

琳达赵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（GW）退伍军人的健康结果。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 研究表明，环境暴露，特别是农药暴露，与帕金森病（PD）有关。 然而，一直没有系统的研究，发病率或患病率的GW退伍军人。博士 Chao目前的VA Merit补助金（2 I 01 CX 000798 -05）调查了 GW退伍军人。赵博士还拥有一个新资助的国防部（DOD）/国会指导 医学研究计划（CDMRP）拨款（W81 XWH-21-0656），调查患病率和 GW退伍军人轻度认知障碍（MCI）的病因学。MCI是一种认知能力下降的情况， 大于一个人的年龄预期，但还没有严重到足以达到痴呆症的标准。因为MCI 与痴呆症风险增加有关，这项研究将对VA医疗保健产生重大影响 因为在GW退伍军人中MCI，阿尔茨海默病（AD）和PD的过早诊断可能会导致 促进神经保护疗法的靶向递送。此外，在- 退伍军人可能会被建议改变生活方式，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，海湾战争病（GWI）的有效治疗方法， 据估计，影响250，000 GW退伍军人的多症状疾病仍然难以捉摸。赵博士的研究 研究了GWI的循证治疗方法。她最近完成了VA Merit补助金（I21 CX 001428） 研究表明，通过行为干预治疗GW退伍军人的失眠， GWI的睡眠和非睡眠症状。因为睡眠呼吸暂停通常与失眠并存， 由于许多GW退伍军人患有未经治疗的睡眠呼吸暂停，赵博士正在通过调查扩大这项研究。 在她新资助的研究中， DOD/CDMRP赠款（W81 XWH-21-1-0758）。 赵博士的研究的另一个主要重点是评估非药理学的神经机制。 延迟认知障碍和痴呆症发作或减缓其进展的干预措施（最近 已完成的DOD/CDMRP拨款W81 XWH-17-1-0490;新资助的DOD/CDMRP拨款W81 XWH-21-1-0147）。 痴呆症的患病率预计将在未来40年内在全球范围内增加两倍， 情感代价考虑到超过70%的退伍军人年龄在50岁及以上，65岁及以上的退伍军人 是增长最快的年龄组，这方面赵博士的研究计划也将有重大意义。 对VA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.