Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.; VA South Central Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Houston, TX, United States.; Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, United States.
Dr. Heisey studies how obesity impacts the health of older adults, particularly in areas like mental health and cognitive performance. He examines how inflammation, body fat distribution, and physical frailty correlate with issues such as depression and cognitive decline. Additionally, he researches techniques to treat precancerous conditions, specifically pancreatic cysts, exploring methods that combine efficacy with safety to minimize complications for patients.
Key findings
Higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in older adults with obesity were linked to increased depressive symptoms, suggesting this blood test could help identify at-risk individuals.
In a study of older adults with obesity, greater truncal fat and physical frailty were found to be key predictors of worse cognitive performance, indicating that addressing these factors could help maintain brain health.
In a long-term follow-up of a trial, the durability of endoscopic ultrasound-guided chemoablation for mucinous pancreatic cysts showed initial cyst elimination rates remain effective over time.
An alcohol-free pancreatic cyst ablation protocol yielded similar cyst elimination rates (67% versus 61%) compared to the traditional alcohol-based approach while avoiding all serious complications.
Testosterone and progesterone increased muscle protein synthesis in postmenopausal women by about 50%, highlighting their potential role in preventing muscle loss associated with aging.
Frequently asked questions
Does Dr. Heisey study obesity?
Yes, he focuses on how obesity affects health outcomes in older adults, including mental health and cognitive function.
What treatments has Dr. Heisey researched for pancreatic cysts?
He has researched endoscopic ultrasound-guided chemoablation for treating precancerous pancreatic cysts and explored an alcohol-free version of this treatment.
Is Dr. Heisey's work relevant to older adults?
Absolutely, his research primarily addresses health challenges faced by older adults, particularly those related to obesity and aging.
What are the implications of Dr. Heisey's research on depression?
His findings suggest that measuring inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein could help identify older, obese patients at risk for depression.
How does hormone research relate to aging in women?
Dr. Heisey's research shows that testosterone and progesterone can help maintain muscle health in postmenopausal women, which is crucial for combating age-related muscle loss.
Publications in plain English
Depressive Symptoms are Associated With C-Reactive Protein in Older Adults With Obesity.
2024
Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology
Heisey HD, Qualls C, Villareal DT, Segoviano-Escobar MB, Nava MLD +2 more
Plain English Researchers examined whether a blood marker of inflammation (C-reactive protein, or CRP) is linked to depression in older adults with obesity. Higher CRP levels and being male were both independently associated with greater depressive symptoms. This finding raises the possibility that a routine blood test could help identify older, obese patients at risk for depression, even when their symptoms are mild.
The Durability of EUS-Guided Chemoablation of Mucinous Pancreatic Cysts: A Long-Term Follow-Up of the CHARM trial.
2022
Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association
Lester C, Walsh L, Hartz KM, Mathew A, Levenick JM +8 more
Plain English This study followed patients long-term after they underwent a minimally invasive procedure — endoscopic ultrasound-guided chemoablation — to destroy precancerous cysts in the pancreas. The goal was to determine whether the initial cyst elimination held up over time. The findings speak to the durability of this approach as an alternative to surgery or indefinite monitoring for patients with mucinous pancreatic cysts.
Plain English This study looked at how body fat distribution, frailty, and obesity relate to cognitive performance in older adults with obesity. Greater amounts of fat around the trunk and higher levels of physical frailty were both linked to worse cognitive scores, with frailty being the strongest predictor. The results suggest that targeting frailty and truncal fat may be important strategies for protecting brain health in older adults with obesity.
The Safety and Efficacy of an Alcohol-Free Pancreatic Cyst Ablation Protocol.
2017
Gastroenterology
Moyer MT, Sharzehi S, Mathew A, Levenick JM, Headlee BD +8 more
Plain English Researchers tested whether alcohol is necessary in the standard procedure used to chemically destroy precancerous pancreatic cysts, which typically involves flushing the cyst with ethanol before injecting chemotherapy drugs. Removing alcohol from the procedure produced similar rates of complete cyst elimination (67% vs. 61%) while eliminating all serious and minor complications seen in the alcohol group. This means patients can be treated just as effectively with a safer, alcohol-free approach.
Testosterone and progesterone, but not estradiol, stimulate muscle protein synthesis in postmenopausal women.
2014
The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Smith GI, Yoshino J, Reeds DN, Bradley D, Burrows RE +3 more
Plain English Researchers compared muscle-building processes in younger women versus older women after menopause, then gave the older women different hormones to see which ones helped build muscle. Testosterone and progesterone both increased muscle growth by about 50% in postmenopausal women, but estradiol had no effect.
This matters because it shows which hormones actually help prevent the muscle loss that naturally happens as women age, which could inform better treatments for maintaining strength and mobility in older women.