VA Research Wrap Up: New research on brain-computer interfaces, suicide and hypertension

This week, VA’s Office of Research and Development published three News Briefs highlighting research advances on a brain-computer interface for natural speech, suicide risk and hypertension.

Brain-computer interface helps ALS patient speak

A team that included a Providence VA researcher developed a brain-computer interface that allowed a 45-year-old man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to speak instantaneously and with intonation. ALS is an incurable, progressive degenerative disorder affecting the nervous system. The researchers attached 256 microelectrodes to the man’s brain, which were wired to a computer to decode electrical signals associated with his thoughts of speaking. The brain’s electrical signals were translated into a synthesized approximation of his voice with depth and range rather than a flat computerized voice. The voice was often understandable to others, but speech clarity improved with practice. The participant was even able to sing short melodies. The publication even contains videos demonstrating this remarkable achievement. The results demonstrate the potential of brain-computer interfaces to restore a natural voice to people unable to speak due to disease or paralysis. View the full study from “Nature.”

Veteran suicide risk, methods vary by region

VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention (MIRECC) researchers learned the prevalence for suicidal behavior can vary greatly across different regions of the United States. The team surveyed nearly 18,000 Veterans across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and U.S. Pacific Island Territories in 2022. The Western region of the country had the highest rates of post-military suicidal ideation, while the Pacific islands had the highest rates of past-year suicidal ideation and lifetime suicide attempts. Other factors linked to higher suicidal behavior rates included access to firearms and lower access to health care. The Midwest was the only division in which illegal drug overdose appeared in the top five most common methods of suicide. Consistent with VA’s public health approach to suicide prevention, the findings support the importance of targeted efforts in areas where Veterans have the highest risk of suicide. View the full study from “Injury Epidemiology.”

PTSD increases hypertension risk for male Veterans

VA researchers from Boston, Palo Alto and Seattle linked PTSD to hypertension in older male Vietnam Era Veterans, but did not find the same link for female Veterans. The researchers interviewed approximately 4,200 female Veterans and 5,800 male Veterans with a history of PTSD. While the rate of hypertension for female Veterans did not vary between those with and without PTSD, male Veterans reporting PTSD were more than one-and-a-half times as likely to have hypertension than male Veterans without PTSD. The findings suggest PTSD is a risk factor of hypertension for male Veterans, while biological differences may protect female Veterans from this risk. View the full study from the “Journal of Traumatic Stress.”

For more Office of Research and Development updates, visit ORD online or go to https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/.