Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2010

Mentor: Rong Zhang, Ph.D.
Department: IMC Cardiology/Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine
Room number:
Mail Code: 8573
Phone number: 214-864-4838
E-mail: rongzhang@texashealth.org
Project title #1: Mild Cognitive Impairment: Cerebrovascular Dysfunction and Exercise Training

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): UTSW IRB: 032009-065

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A

Project Type: patient-based research

Brief Description of Project: The overall objective of this proposal is to test the hypothesis that cerebrovasular function is impaired in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) leading to brain hypoperfusion, brain atrophy, white matter lesions and cognitive impairment. Importantly, we will determine whether endurance exercise training improves cerebrovascular function and brain perfusion, thus ameliorating brain atrophy, white matter lesions and cognitive decline in patients with MCI. The applicant of this award will assist Dr. Zhang to conduct physical function assessments, exercise testing and training in patients with MCI. Specifically, the applicant will assist Dr. Zhang to conduct data analysis of physical function assessment and cardiovascular responses during exercise testing. In addition, the applicant will assist Dr. Zhang to conduct exercise training in patients with MCI and to monitor subject's training compliance by using heart rate monitor. The specific research project for the applicant will be to determine whether physical function and exercise capacity of patients with MCI are impaired when compared with age, gender and educational level matched health control subjects. Besides these focused research activities, the applicant will assist Dr. Zhang to conduct cerebrovascular function testing using transcranial Doppler to measure changes in cerebral blood flow velocity and using high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography to quantify arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis in patients with MCI.

Project title #2: Impact of Exercise and Engagement in Cognition in Older Adults (in collaboration with Denise Park's Study "Active Interventions for the Aging Mind")

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): UTSW IRB: 082007-033

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): N/A
Project Type: patient-based research

Brief Description of Project: Previous studies have shown that three months of aerobic exercise training can improve cognitive function in an elderly population. These improvements include executive function, visuospatial function and mental processing speed. However, the mechanism of such improvement remains unclear.

This project proposes that the relationship between physical activity and cognitive function is largely due to changes in cerebral hemodynamics. Changes in cognitive function will be assessed using a battery of comprehensive behavior tests conducted at the Center for Vital Longevity at UT Dallas led by Dr. Park. Dr. Zhang's lab will perform exercise testing (VO2max) and training, physical function assessment, measurement of changes in brain perfusion using transcranial Doppler, dynamic cerebral autoregulation, cerebral vasomotor reactivity, intima-media thickness(IMT), and arterial stiffness.

The applicant's role will be to administer a physical activity questionnaire (CHAMPS) followed by a battery of four physical function tests prior to exercise testing. These test are the timed up and go (TUG) test, reaction time (RT) test, functional reach test (FRT), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). The applicant will also be responsible for assistance of the maximal exertion exercise test, including the collection and analysis of expired air and calculation of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). Further duties will also be to assist Dr. Zhang to provide the exercise prescription for each individual subject based on his/her fitness level and monitor adherence of subjects to the prescribed exercise training program using a Polar Heart rate monitor.

The research activities described above will occur during the summer of 2010 with the support of this award. Of note, since the applicant is currently working as a part-time research assistant in Dr. Zhang's lab, this award will provide an excellent opportunity for the applicant to acquire additional advanced knowledge and skills to increase his research capability and responsibility in Dr. Zhang's lab. This training certainly will be very valuable for the applicant to achieve his long-term career goal to become a physician scientist in academic medicine.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:
Dr. Zhang has been a mentor for international and UTSW medical students previously.
Publication: Zhang R, Claassen JA, Shibata S, Kilic S, Martin-Cook K, Diaz-Arrastia R, Levine BD. Arterial-cardiac baroreflex function: insights from repeated squat-stand maneuvers. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2009, 297(1):R116-23. Sinem Kilic was a medical student from the Radboud University, the Netherlands conducting a summer research in Dr. Zhang's lab during 2008.