VISN 17 Center of Excellence
Research
OUR APPROACH
By combining advanced research technologies including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), biochemistry laboratories, and psychophysiological assessments with psychotherapy research, the Center of Excellence (CoE) conducts innovative and multidimensional research to develop new efficient interventions for returning war Veterans experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and suicide, among other mental health problems.
OUR RESEARCH
Evaluating and Treating Returning Veterans Experiences
This longitudinal study has been following returning war Veterans since 2010 to evaluate trajectories of Veterans’ symptoms over time and use this information to identify factors that have to potential to be targeted in treatment. The study is now implementing a transdiagnostic treatment, known as Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, to personalize treatment to Veterans experiencing a broad range of difficulties like depression, PTSD, and TBI.
Brain Connectivity and TBI
Military Veterans commonly suffer lasting effects of blast-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which damage the brain’s white matter pathways and disrupt communication across large networks of the brain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques can be used to go beyond classic severity assessments and identifying neurobiologically-informed subtypes of TBI that can predict functional outcomes. This research will enable improved diagnosis and prognosis for Veterans suffering from TBI.
Examination of the Biomarkers and Genetics of PTSD and TBI
Biomarkers are substances in the body that signal the presence of a disease or infection, and their study can lead to improved understanding of the biochemical and molecular mechanisms of conditions afflicting our Veterans. Ongoing projects are looking at inflammation markers in and biological mechanisms of TBI and PTSD. Ultimately, this research hopes to identify targets to develop novel treatment strategies.
Moral Injury and Moral Elevation in Returning Veterans
Moral Injury is a new way to look at common reactions to combat. It refers to unique psychological harm resulting from acting, failing to prevent, or witnessing actions that violate an individual’s most closely held values leading Veterans to harbor intense feelings of guilt and shame. Moral elevation is the uplifting feeling that inspires us to emulate virtuous behaviors after witnessing them. Our investigators are conceptualizing innovative treatments to address moral injury and testing whether moral elevation could target the negative and social effects of trauma-related distress in Veterans.
Implementation Science Research
Implementation Science studies the methods and strategies to promote the use of new interventions in healthcare. By investigating things such as how, when, where, and by whom care is delivered and managed, implementation science studies how we can adopt and integrate evidence-based interventions into clinical and community settings to provide the best quality care for Veterans.
Treatment for Women Veterans
Women Veterans with a history of sexual trauma are at higher risk for mental health challenges. Seeking to provide early identification and intervention for these women, this research team is assessing the efficacy of a brief web-based intervention tailored toward reducing health risks and promoting healthy behaviors in women Veterans with history of sexual trauma, PTSD, Intimate partner abuse, and/or alcohol misuse.
Brain-based Treatment of PTSD and TBI
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been proven effective in the treatment of depression and has the potential to be an effective, non-invasive, and safe treatment for PTSD. Ongoing studies are testing these brain-based treatments to determine whether brain electrophysiology can be used to treat TBI and PTSD. Findings are integrated with functional MRI data to better understand the mechanism of action by which TMS affects brain circuitry implicated in these disorders.
