HELLO THERE! I'M ANDREW RAUCH.

The two BRASS studies aim to use different prescriptions of repeated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) to treat AUD in Veterans. Participants undergo a day of neurological assessment both before and after treatment to determine the viability of this innovative method and to assess risk of relapse following treatment.  As a coordinator, I schedule and call subjects for appointments, prepare, distribute, and process questionnaires, as well as perform clerical duties in the preparation of regulatory documents. I run the two hour fMRI protocol with tasks evaluating attention, memory, and neurobiological responses to stimuli. I assist with the administration of the Motor Threshold with Dr. Durazzo. I also maintain all forms and documents, including consent forms and master subject logs. I assist with screening, recruiting, and obtaining consent of study participants. Additionally, I review medical records and perform telephone or in-person interviews to gather data. I administer standard study questionnaires and tests, score test measurements and questionnaires, and code data for computer entry. I perform quantitative review of forms, tests, and other measurements for completeness and accuracy. I process study compensation payments to subjects upon completion of trial activities and I assist with post-study activities, as needed.

This interventional aging study involves three interventions including a computer cognitive program, increased exercise via use of a pedometer, or a combination of the both to see the effectiveness of the interventions in an aging population. Under supervision of Dr. Jak, I performed several duties including recruitment, screening, and assessment of elderly research participants with normal aging to mild cognitive impairment. Specifically, I was responsible for IRB maintenance and submissions, identifying potential participants, scheduling assessments, obtaining informed consent, maintaining weekly phone contact with participants to collect exercise and cognitive training information, completing health histories, and administering a battery of neuropsychological assessments. General duties also included entering data, analyzing, and interpreting the data via SPSS, supervising two research assistants, collaborating with the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC), managing participant payments and regular attendance, and contributing to research team meetings.

This study tested a modification of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, (PTSD) in which CPT is augmented with compensatory cognitive rehabilitation principles from the Cognitive Symptom Management and Rehabilitation Therapy (CogSMART) intervention to create a hybrid treatment, SMART-CPT. This study investigates the efficacy of SMART-CPT in improving PTSD and post-concussive symptoms, cognition, quality of life, and treatment compliance in those with a history of mild to moderate TBI and persistent cognitive complaints.  I primarily aided in database management, scoring of neuropsychological tests, subject recruitment and scheduling, assisting with fMRI scans, and I was involved in several projects headed by our graduate student and research staff.