Kalpana P. Padala
Associate Professor
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
faculty
Geriatrics, College of Medicine
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Biography and Research Information
OverviewAI-generated summary
Kalpana P. Padala's research focuses on interventions to promote physical activity and improve health outcomes in older adults, particularly veterans. She has extensive experience conducting treatment trials for frail elderly individuals, investigating alternate modalities to encourage exercise and overcome associated barriers. Her work has explored the feasibility and efficacy of using technologies like the Nintendo Wii-Fit for improving gait and balance, with funding from the Alzheimer’s Association and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Padala's current research, supported by an RR&D Merit grant, examines the lasting effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on executive function, exercise performance, self-efficacy, and adherence to exercise programs in sedentary older veterans. The project aims to enhance balance components through engaging home-based exercise programs. Clinically, she evaluates patients in a multidisciplinary memory clinic and leads the Geriatric Walking Clinic, which she established in 2013 and has served over 800 participants.
Her scholarship includes 82 publications and a citation count of 1,579, with an h-index of 22. Padala collaborates with researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Research Overview
I have fifteen years of experience in conducting treatment trials in frail elderly. I have focused on alternate modalities to promote exercise in elderly. To overcome various barriers for exercise, I conducted a series of studies investigating the feasibility and efficacy of Nintendo Wii-Fit on gait, and balance in various settings funded by the Alzheimer’s Association and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Later I focused on exercise adherence and ways to improve the same. My current study funded by the RR&D Merit grant is studying the efficacy and lasting effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on executive function, exercise performance, self-efficacy and adherence to an adequately dosed, targeted Wii-Fit. The goal of the project is to improve various components of balance in sedentary older Veterans using engaging exercise programs in their home setting. Clinically, I evaluate patients in the multidisciplinary memory clinic at the VA. I also lead the comprehensive physical activity promotion clinic, The Geriatric Walking Clinic that I started in 2013. Over 800 Veterans and caregivers have participated in the program and the clinic provides us a naturalistic experiment to study the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on exercise adherence and executive function in older Veterans. Anecdotally, I see the impact of these restrictions on my clinic patients on a daily basis. I also see the struggles of older Veterans in transitioning to telehealth.
Metrics
- h-index: 29
- Publications: 158
- Citations: 2,579
Selected Publications
- The Relationship of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, Cognitive Dysfunction and Functional Decline in Older Adults (2025) DOI
- Escitalopram for agitation in Alzheimer’s dementia: a randomized controlled phase 3 trial (2025) DOI
- Refining MoCA Interpretation in An Outpatient Clinic Via Logistic Regression and Base Rate Adjustment: A Pilot Study (2025) DOI
- Escitalopram for Agitation in Alzheimer’s Dementia (2024) DOI
- Correlation between changes in apathy and cognition in Alzheimer’s disease associated apathy: Analysis of the Apathy in Dementia Methylphenidate Trial 2 (ADMET 2) (2024) DOI
- Measuring clinically relevant change in apathy symptoms in ADMET and ADMET 2 (2024) DOI
- Doctor AI? A pilot study examining responses of artificial intelligence to common questions asked by geriatric patients (2024) DOI
- Adverse effects of methylphenidate for apathy in patients with Alzheimer's disease (ADMET2 trial) (2024) DOI
- Psychiatrists’ Illustration of Awe in Empathic Listening Assessments: A Pilot Study (2024) DOI
- Role of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Cognitive Disorders and Late Life Depression (2024) DOI
- Topiramate Monotherapy for Civilian Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (2023) DOI
- Effects of methylphenidate on neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease: Evidence from the ADMET 2 study (2023) DOI
- The influence of social determinants of health on <scp>post‐discharge</scp> mortality of veterans who received care in a transitional care unit (2023) DOI
- Heterogeneity of Response to Methylphenidate in Apathetic Patients in the ADMET 2 Trial (2023) DOI
- The Effect of Psychotic Symptoms on Decision-Making Capacity and Its Assessment in a Patient With Schizoaffective Disorder (2023) DOI
Grants & Funding
- DNA Methylation Markers Associated with Exposure and Adverse Health Outcomes in Veterans Exposed to Airborne Hazards from Open Burn Pits. Department of Defense Principal Investigator
- Long-Term Nicotine Treatment of Mild Cognitive Impairment NIH Co-Investigator
- COVID Impact on Physical Activity in Older Veterans Department of Veterans Affairs Principal Investigator
- Immersive Virtual Reality for Apathy associated with Cognitive Impairment. VA ORD RRD – Diversity Supplement Co-Investigator
- Neuromodulation for Exercise Adherence in Older Veterans NIH Principal Investigator
- A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Phase 3 Study to assess the Efficacy and Safety of Ad26COVS1 for the Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 mediated COVID-19 in Adults Aged 18 Years and Older Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V. Principal Investigator
- Wii-Fit for balance and gait in elderly Veterans South Central VA Health Care Network Research Grants Principal Investigator
- Wii-Fit for improving activity, gait and balance in Alzheimer’s Dementia Alzheimer's Association Principal Investigator
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