Title: Mental Health
Headings: 
Office of Research & Development
VA research on
Mental Health
Introduction
Selected Major Accomplishments in VA Research
New, Ongoing, and Published Research
➤Anxiety disorders
➤ Depression
➤ Interrelationship of mental health issues
➤ PTSD
➤ Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
➤ Stress
➤ Substance Use Disorders
➤ Suicide Prevention
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Selected Scientific Articles by Our Researchers

Content: Developed, through VA's TIDES project, an evidence-based collaborative approach to depression management
2013: Determined an association between homelessness among Veterans and childhood problems such as abuse and family instability
Found that a loss of gray matter in three separate brain structures is common across a spectrum of psychiatric disorders widely perceived to be distinct
2016: Found that the use of an injectable antipsychotic led to significant cost-savings related to inpatient admissions of patients with schizophrenia compared to oral atypical antipsychotics
2017: Learned that compensatory cognitive training (CCT) can improve thinking ability, psychiatric symptoms, and quality of life in people with severe mental illnesses
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New, Ongoing, and Published Research
VA researchers are looking at potential new approaches for treating and preventing mental health disorders. They are also working on related projects such as developing and evaluating collaborative primary care models and improving access to services from rural and other remote areas by using the internet and other technologies. Among the areas VA researchers are focusing on are mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder; psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia; PTSD and other anxiety conditions; and substance use disorders. VA investigators are highly organized in identifying, testing, and confirming new treatments for PTSD, especially focused on medications through the PTSD Psychopharmacology Initiative.