|
|
|
|
Clinical
Research
 |
|
Dean
C. Norman, M.D.
Summary
of Research:
The
overall research focus is in the areas of immunogerontology
and immunotoxicology. The basic science aspect of my research
is to study the suppressive effects of alcohol on immune function,
which I am pursuing in collaboration with Dr. Mei Ping Chang.
The other area of both basic and clinical research interest
is in elaborating the possible mechanisms for the blunted
fever response of older patients with infections. My long-term
clinical research interests are focused on the pathogenesis,
diagnosis, and treatment of infections in nursing home residents.
Ongoing
projects:
- Establish
and evaluate a series of Clinical Pathways dealing with
various diseases including pneumonia, ischemic heart disease,
stroke and others.
- Evaluate
a Patient Focused Care model for in-patients in acute
care, psychiatry, and long term care.
- In
conjunction with the Pharmacoeconomics Committee we are
working to establish and evaluate guidelines for the use
of various drugs.
Stacy
S. Wilkins, Ph.D.
Ongoing
projects:
- Psychoneuroimmunology
Study of Spouse Caregivers. Co-investigators: Steve
Castle, M.D., Bruce Naliboff, Ph.D., Jeff Wilkins, M.D.
and John Fahey, M.D. Spouse caregivers of demented individuals
have been found to suffer from significant levels of
stress and depression, along with changes in immune
function. This project proposes to identify immunologic
changes in phenotype, function (antigen presentation)
and constitutive and stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokines
(IL-1, IL-12, TNFa), both at baseline and in response
to a controlled acute laboratory stressor, in older
depressed caregiving wives versus normal non-caregivers.
Psychological questionnaires will be administered regarding
mood, stress, personality style and health status. Heart
rate and blood pressure will be monitored. Basal and
stress induced changes in immune parameters (NK, T cell
subsets, T cell/monocyte interaction, and proinflammatory
cytokines) and cortisol levels (blood and 24 hour urine
free cortisol) will be studied.
- Estrogen
Replacement and Cognitive Ability in Postmenopausal
Women. Co-Investigators B Karl Lindman, Ph.D., Theodore
Hahn, M.D. & Jeffery Wilkins, M.D. Estrogen replacement
has been found to improve cognitive abilities in younger
(mean age 36-48) surgically menopausal women, with increased
performance found on measures of auditory attention,
verbal memory and reasoning abilities. In contrast,
the limited number of studies performed on older women
have had variable results, with all studies using either
a cross-sectional design or retrospective patient reports.
Given the cognitive protection that estrogen replacement
affords younger surgically menopausal women, it is critical
to further explore the effect of estrogen replacement
on normal older postmenopausal women. A longitudinal
pilot study, assessing subjects and controls pre and
post estrogen replacement is therefore underway. It
is predicted that the estrogen receiving group will
show an improvement in cognitive abilities (most notably
verbal memory) that is not seen in the controls. An
additional component of the study will assess levels
of cortisol and DHEA to determine if they are linked
with any cognitive changes that are found.
Patients. This project is being conducted in collaboration
with Alein Chun, Ph.D., Cedars Sinai. The aims of this
study are to determine which patient-related and clinical
factors are associated with the utilization of physical
therapy services in the acute care hospital, and to
determine which patient-related and clinical factors
are associated with better outcomes for elderly patients
who receive physical therapy.
- A
Cognitive Treatment Intervention to Reduce Depression
in Geriatric Medical Inpatients. This study will focus
on reducing levels of depression in patients on the
GEM and Rehabilitation units of the West LA VA, through
a 6 session cognitive psychotherapy treatment paradigm.
|
{footer} |
Last
Updated:
March 24, 2005
-- Copyright 2000 GeroNet
|
