An Unsung Ally of Neuroscience: The Department of Veterans Affairs

Abstract

The annual appropriation for the Department of Veterans Affairs is substantially more than $40 billion. This is widely understood and appreciated as a grateful nation’s obligation to its veterans. What is less widely understood is the role of the VA in advancing clinical care, educating health care personnel, and supporting a diverse research portfolio. Clinical neuroscience is advanced in neurology, mental health, and geriatrics in VA, reflecting an aging population subject to neurodegenerative disorders and one in which mental illness is a significant factor. Spinal cord injury and research for new treatments for it are high priority areas within VA, and multiple sclerosis is also emerging as a priority. Research into stroke, Alzheimer disease, and Par-kinson disease is emphasized as is research on substance abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and chronic mental illness. VA plays a major role in the training of mental health and neurology residents, supporting approximately 20% of the positions nationally in neurology. Research career development pro-grams foster developing neuroscientists. This report emphasizes the importance of VA to academic biomedicine in general, and Neuroscience in particular.