{"id":7655,"date":"2026-02-20T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7655"},"modified":"2026-02-20T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T14:30:00","slug":"va-research-wrap-up-new-findings-on-agent-orange-parkinsons-disease-and-opioid-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7655","title":{"rendered":"VA Research Wrap Up: New findings on Agent Orange, Parkinson\u2019s disease and opioid use"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-02-20T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

VA\u2019s Office of Research and Development recently published three\u00a0News Briefs<\/a>\u00a0highlighting research findings on skin cancer linked to Agent Orange exposure, Parkinson\u2019s disease and a potential new treatment for substance use disorder.<\/p>\n

Agent Orange linked to rare skin cancer<\/h2>\n

VA Boston researchers identified a possible link between exposure to Agent Orange and a rare form of skin cancer called acral melanoma, which appears on the palms, soles of the feet and under nails, and has a poorer prognosis than other forms of skin cancer. <\/p>\n

In a study of nearly 8,000 Veterans, those exposed to Agent Orange had 30% higher odds of acral melanoma compared to both healthy controls and Veterans with a more common form of melanoma. While Agent Orange has been associated with risk of other forms of cancer, this is the first study to link the chemical to acral melanoma. View the full study from \u201cJAMA Dermatology.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Parkinson\u2019s disease may be linked to gut bacteria<\/h2>\n

A team led by a New Mexico VA researcher found a potential causal link between gut bacteria and the development of Parkinson\u2019s disease. <\/p>\n

The bacteria\u00a0Desulfovibrio vulgaris\u00a0has been shown to be much more prevalent in the digestive tract of people with Parkinson\u2019s disease. The researchers showed these bacteria can cause a build-up of a protein called alpha-synuclein, which has been connected to Parkinson\u2019s when concentrated in the brain, and that the bacteria promote the release of this protein from intestinal cells into the body. They further showed a build-up of alpha-synuclein suppresses an enzyme necessary to the brain\u2019s ability to use the neurotransmitter dopamine. The findings advance understanding of how bacteria in the gut can drive neurodegeneration and point to a possible target for early intervention in Parkinson\u2019s disease. View the full study from \u201cFrontiers in Neuroscience.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Heart disease drug may help with substance use disorder<\/h2>\n

Iowa City VA researchers showed that acetazolamide, a heart disease medication, may be able to reverse opioid withdrawal and reduce drug-seeking behavior. <\/p>\n

Using a mouse model, the researchers demonstrated how prolonged withdrawal from opioids led to alterations of the brain\u2019s synapses related to an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase 4 (CA4). Administering acetazolamide blocked the expression of CA4, preventing the synaptic alterations that increase opioid cravings. The results suggest acetazolamide and similar drugs could be repurposed as effective non-opioid treatment for substance use disorder. View the full study from \u201cNeuropsychopharmacology.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

For more Office of Research and Development updates, visit\u00a0ORD online<\/a>\u00a0or go to https:\/\/www.research.va.gov\/news_briefs\/.<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

VA Research published new findings on skin cancer linked to Agent Orange exposure, Parkinson’s disease and a potential new treatment for substance use disorder.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":327,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-health-care","category-medical-research"],"yoast_head":"\nVA Research Wrap Up: New findings on Agent Orange, Parkinson\u2019s disease and opioid use - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"VA Research published new findings on skin cancer linked to Agent Orange exposure, Parkinson's disease and a potential new treatment for substance use disorder.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7655\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"VA Research Wrap Up: New findings on Agent Orange, Parkinson\u2019s disease and opioid use - 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