Linda Chao, PhD

Professor
Adjunct Professor

Biography

Linda Chao, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Chao obtained her BS in Biological Science from the University of California, Davis in 1991, and she completed her PhD studies in Neuroscience from UCD in 1996. For the past 11-years, she has served as leader for the Psychiatry Block of the Interdepartmental Studies course 104, Brain, Mind and Behavior for first-year medical students.

Dr. Chao’s professional activities primarily consist of conducting basic research using neuropsychological and imaging techniques to characterize how normal aging, neurodegenerative processes, stress, and exposure to neurotoxins affect the brain and cognition. She has an ongoing project, funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, that seeks to use cognitive tests, structural, and diffusion tensor imaging to examine the effects of low-level exposure to sarin on brain structure and brain function in Gulf War Veterans. Dr. Chao has another project that is funded by the US Army Military Operational Medicine Research Program. The purpose of this project is to investigate the links between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dementia.

Dr. Chao serves as an Academic Editor for PlosOne and she has previously served as a reviewer for 26 scientific journals. Dr. Chao has 25 published articles and she has written 58 abstracts, 44 peer-reviewed articles, and 5 significant publications resulting from her research.

Expertise:
Neuroscience

Specialty:
Brain, neurodegenerative process, neuropsychological and imaging techniques

Professional Interests:
Cognitive neuroscience, memory, attention, aging, neurodegenerative disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, magnetic resonance imaging, spectroscopic imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging

Education and Training:
• Bachelor of Science: University of California, Davis - Biological Science
• Doctor of Philosophy: University of California, Davis - Neuroscience

Honors and Awards

Fellows Award for Research Excellence, National Institute of Mental Health, 1999
Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, National Institute of Mental Health, 1994
Graduate Research Award, University of California, Davis, 1994

Publications

Chao LL. Olfactory and cognitive decrements in 1991 Gulf War veterans with gulf war illness/chronic multisymptom illness. Environ Health. 2024 Jan 30; 23(1):14.
Chao LL, Sullivan K, Krengel MH, Killiany RJ, Steele L, Klimas NG, Koo BB. The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in Gulf War veterans: a follow-up study. Front Neurosci. 2023; 17:1301066.
Chao LL. Examining the current health of Gulf War veterans with the veterans affairs frailty index. Front Neurosci. 2023; 17:1245811.
Long KLP, Chao LL, Kazama Y, An A, Hu KY, Peretz L, Muller DCY, Roan VD, Misra R, Toth CE, Breton JM, Casazza W, Mostafavi S, Huber BR, Woodward SH, Neylan TC, Kaufer D. Regional gray matter oligodendrocyte- and myelin-related measures are associated with differential susceptibility to stress-induced behavior in rats and humans. Transl Psychiatry. 2021 12 13; 11(1):631.
Young DA, Chao LL, Zhang H, Metzler T, Ross J, Richards A, O'Donovan A, Inslicht SS, Neylan TC. Ventromedial and insular cortical volume moderates the relationship between BDNF Val66Met and threat sensitivity. J Psychiatr Res. 2021 10; 142:337-344.
Chao LL, Kanady JC, Crocker N, Straus LD, Hlavin J, Metzler TJ, Maguen S, Neylan TC. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in veterans with gulf war illness: Results from a randomized controlled trial. Life Sci. 2021 Aug 15; 279:119147.
Martin PI, Chao L, Krengel MH, Ho MD, Yee M, Lew R, Knight J, Hamblin MR, Naeser MA. Transcranial Photobiomodulation to Improve Cognition in Gulf War Illness. Front Neurol. 2020; 11:574386.
Chao LL, Lee JA, Martinez S, Barlow C, Chesney MA, Mehling WE, Barnes DE. Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIÉ): A Pilot Trial in Older Adults with Subjective Memory Decline and Mild Cognitive Impairment. J Alzheimers Dis. 2021; 82(4):1543-1557.
Chao LL. The Prevalence of Mild Cognitive Impairment in a Convenience Sample of 202 Gulf War Veterans. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 09 30; 17(19).
Chao LL, Barlow C, Karimpoor M, Lim L. Changes in Brain Function and Structure After Self-Administered Home Photobiomodulation Treatment in a Concussion Case. Front Neurol. 2020; 11:952.
Chao LL. Improvements in Gulf War Illness Symptoms After Near-Infrared Transcranial and Intranasal Photobiomodulation: Two Case Reports. Mil Med. 2019 10 01; 184(9-10):e568-e574.
Chao L.. Do Gulf War veterans with high levels of deployment-related exposures display symptoms suggestive of Parkinson’s disease? Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019 Jul 15; 32(4):503–526.
Chao LL. Effects of Home Photobiomodulation Treatments on Cognitive and Behavioral Function, Cerebral Perfusion, and Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Patients with Dementia: A Pilot Trial. Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg. 2019 Mar; 37(3):133-141.
Young DA, Neylan TC, Chao LL, O'Donovan A, Metzler TJ, Inslicht SS. Child abuse interacts with hippocampal and corpus callosum volume on psychophysiological response to startling auditory stimuli in a sample of veterans. J Psychiatr Res. 2019 04; 111:16-23.
Chao LL. The Relationship Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Rates of Chronic Symptomatic Illness in 202 Gulf War Veterans. Mil Med. 2018 11 01; 183(11-12):e571-e579.
Young DA, Chao L, Neylan TC, O'Donovan A, Metzler TJ, Inslicht SS. Association among anterior cingulate cortex volume, psychophysiological response, and PTSD diagnosis in a Veteran sample. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2018 11; 155:189-196.
Chao LL, Zhang Y. Effects of low-level sarin and cyclosarin exposure on hippocampal microstructure in Gulf War Veterans. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2018 Jul - Aug; 68:36-46.
Chao LL, Raymond MR, Leo CK, Abadjian LR. Evidence of Hippocampal Structural Alterations in Gulf War Veterans With Predicted Exposure to the Khamisiyah Plume. J Occup Environ Med. 2017 10; 59(10):923-929.
Parthasarathy V, Frazier DT, Bettcher BM, Jastrzab L, Chao L, Reed B, Mungas D, Weiner M, DeCarli C, Chui H, Kramer JH. Triglycerides are negatively correlated with cognitive function in nondemented aging adults. Neuropsychology. 2017 Sep; 31(6):682-688.
Chao LL. Evidence of Objective Memory Impairments in Deployed Gulf War Veterans With Subjective Memory Complaints. Mil Med. 2017 05; 182(5):e1625-e1631.
Chao LL. Associations Between the Self-Reported Frequency of Hearing Chemical Alarms in Theater and Visuospatial Function in Gulf War Veterans. J Occup Environ Med. 2016 10; 58(10):1014-1020.
Chao LL, Abadjian LR, Esparza IL, Reeb R. Insomnia Severity, Subjective Sleep Quality, and Risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Veterans With Gulf War Illness. Mil Med. 2016 09; 181(9):1127-34.
Chao LL, Reeb R, Esparza IL, Abadjian LR. Associations between the self-reported frequency of hearing chemical alarms in theater and regional brain volume in Gulf War Veterans. Neurotoxicology. 2016 Mar; 53:246-256.
Chao LL, Tosun D, Woodward SH, Kaufer D, Neylan TC. Preliminary Evidence of Increased Hippocampal Myelin Content in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Front Behav Neurosci. 2015; 9:333.
Chao LL, Zhang Y, Buckley S. Effects of low-level sarin and cyclosarin exposure on white matter integrity in Gulf War Veterans. Neurotoxicology. 2015 May; 48:239-48.
Ross J, Neylan T, Weiner M, Chao L, Samuelson K, Sim I. Towards Constructing a New Taxonomy for Psychiatry Using Self-reported Symptoms. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2015; 216:736-40.
Frazier DT, Seider T, Bettcher BM, Mack WJ, Jastrzab L, Chao L, Weiner MW, DeCarli C, Reed BR, Mungas D, Chui HC, Kramer JH. The role of carotid intima-media thickness in predicting longitudinal cognitive function in an older adult cohort. Cerebrovasc Dis. 2014; 38(6):441-7.
O'Donovan A, Chao LL, Paulson J, Samuelson KW, Shigenaga JK, Grunfeld C, Weiner MW, Neylan TC. Altered inflammatory activity associated with reduced hippocampal volume and more severe posttraumatic stress symptoms in Gulf War veterans. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2015 Jan; 51:557-66.
Chao LL, Kriger S, Buckley S, Ng P, Mueller SG. Effects of low-level sarin and cyclosarin exposure on hippocampal subfields in Gulf War Veterans. Neurotoxicology. 2014 Sep; 44:263-9.
Mohlenhoff BS, Chao LL, Buckley ST, Weiner MW, Neylan TC. Are hippocampal size differences in posttraumatic stress disorder mediated by sleep pathology? Alzheimers Dement. 2014 Jun; 10(3 Suppl):S146-54.
Chao LL, Yaffe K, Samuelson K, Neylan TC. Hippocampal volume is inversely related to PTSD duration. Psychiatry Res. 2014 Jun 30; 222(3):119-23.
Chao LL, Mohlenhoff BS, Weiner MW, Neylan TC. Associations between subjective sleep quality and brain volume in Gulf War veterans. Sleep. 2014 Mar 01; 37(3):445-52.
Chao L, Weiner M, Neylan T. Regional cerebral volumes in veterans with current versus remitted posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychiatry Res. 2013 Sep 30; 213(3):193-201.
Chao LL, Decarli C, Kriger S, Truran D, Zhang Y, Laxamana J, Villeneuve S, Jagust WJ, Sanossian N, Mack WJ, Chui HC, Weiner MW. Associations between white matter hyperintensities and β amyloid on integrity of projection, association, and limbic fiber tracts measured with diffusion tensor MRI. PLoS One. 2013; 8(6):e65175.
Zhang Y, Schuff N, Camacho M, Chao LL, Fletcher TP, Yaffe K, Woolley SC, Madison C, Rosen HJ, Miller BL, Weiner MW. MRI markers for mild cognitive impairment: comparisons between white matter integrity and gray matter volume measurements. PLoS One. 2013; 8(6):e66367.
Cardenas VA, Tosun D, Chao LL, Fletcher PT, Joshi S, Weiner MW, Schuff N. Voxel-wise co-analysis of macro- and microstructural brain alteration in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease using anatomical and diffusion MRI. J Neuroimaging. 2014 Sep-Oct; 24(5):435-43.
Cardenas VA, Reed B, Chao LL, Chui H, Sanossian N, DeCarli CC, Mack W, Kramer J, Hodis HN, Yan M, Buonocore MH, Carmichael O, Jagust WJ, Weiner MW. Associations among vascular risk factors, carotid atherosclerosis, and cortical volume and thickness in older adults. Stroke. 2012 Nov; 43(11):2865-70.
Chao LL, Lenoci M, Neylan TC. Effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on occipital lobe function and structure. Neuroreport. 2012 May 09; 23(7):412-9.
Chao LL, Abadjian L, Hlavin J, Meyerhoff DJ, Weiner MW. Effects of low-level sarin and cyclosarin exposure and Gulf War Illness on brain structure and function: a study at 4T. Neurotoxicology. 2011 Dec; 32(6):814-22.
Mueller SG, Chao LL, Berman B, Weiner MW. Evidence for functional specialization of hippocampal subfields detected by MR subfield volumetry on high resolution images at 4 T. Neuroimage. 2011 Jun 01; 56(3):851-7.
Chao LL, Rothlind JC, Cardenas VA, Meyerhoff DJ, Weiner MW. Effects of low-level exposure to sarin and cyclosarin during the 1991 Gulf War on brain function and brain structure in US veterans. Neurotoxicology. 2010 Sep; 31(5):493-501.
Chao LL, Buckley ST, Kornak J, Schuff N, Madison C, Yaffe K, Miller BL, Kramer JH, Weiner MW. ASL perfusion MRI predicts cognitive decline and conversion from MCI to dementia. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2010 Jan-Mar; 24(1):19-27.
Cardenas VA, Meyerhoff DJ, Studholme C, Kornak J, Rothlind J, Lampiris H, Neuhaus J, Grant RM, Chao LL, Truran D, Weiner MW. Evidence for ongoing brain injury in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients treated with antiretroviral therapy. J Neurovirol. 2009 Jul; 15(4):324-33.
Chao LL, Pa J, Duarte A, Schuff N, Weiner MW, Kramer JH, Miller BL, Freeman KM, Johnson JK. Patterns of cerebral hypoperfusion in amnestic and dysexecutive MCI. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2009 Jul-Sep; 23(3):245-52.
Cardenas VA, Chao LL, Studholme C, Yaffe K, Miller BL, Madison C, Buckley ST, Mungas D, Schuff N, Weiner MW. Brain atrophy associated with baseline and longitudinal measures of cognition. Neurobiol Aging. 2011 Apr; 32(4):572-80.
Pa J, Boxer A, Chao LL, Gazzaley A, Freeman K, Kramer J, Miller BL, Weiner MW, Neuhaus J, Johnson JK. Clinical-neuroimaging characteristics of dysexecutive mild cognitive impairment. Ann Neurol. 2009 Apr; 65(4):414-23.
Chao LL, Mueller SG, Buckley ST, Peek K, Raptentsetseng S, Elman J, Yaffe K, Miller BL, Kramer JH, Madison C, Mungas D, Schuff N, Weiner MW. Evidence of neurodegeneration in brains of older adults who do not yet fulfill MCI criteria. Neurobiol Aging. 2010 Mar; 31(3):368-77.
Chao LL, Schuff N, Clevenger EM, Mueller SG, Rosen HJ, Gorno-Tempini ML, Kramer JH, Miller BL, Weiner MW. Patterns of white matter atrophy in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Arch Neurol. 2007 Nov; 64(11):1619-24.
Cardenas VA, Boxer AL, Chao LL, Gorno-Tempini ML, Miller BL, Weiner MW, Studholme C. Deformation-based morphometry reveals brain atrophy in frontotemporal dementia. Arch Neurol. 2007 Jun; 64(6):873-7.
Schuff N, Meyerhoff DJ, Mueller S, Chao L, Sacrey DT, Laxer K, Weiner MW. N-acetylaspartate as a marker of neuronal injury in neurodegenerative disease. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2006; 576:241-62; discussion 361-3.
Cardenas VA, Chao LL, Blumenfeld R, Song E, Meyerhoff DJ, Weiner MW, Studholme C. Using automated morphometry to detect associations between ERP latency and structural brain MRI in normal adults. Hum Brain Mapp. 2005 Jul; 25(3):317-27.
Du AT, Schuff N, Chao LL, Kornak J, Jagust WJ, Kramer JH, Reed BR, Miller BL, Norman D, Chui HC, Weiner MW. Age effects on atrophy rates of entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. Neurobiol Aging. 2006 May; 27(5):733-40.
Du AT, Schuff N, Chao LL, Kornak J, Ezekiel F, Jagust WJ, Kramer JH, Reed BR, Miller BL, Norman D, Chui HC, Weiner MW. White matter lesions are associated with cortical atrophy more than entorhinal and hippocampal atrophy. Neurobiol Aging. 2005 Apr; 26(4):553-9.
Chao LL, Schuff N, Kramer JH, Du AT, Capizzano AA, O'Neill J, Wolkowitz OM, Jagust WJ, Chui HC, Miller BL, Yaffe K, Weiner MW. Reduced medial temporal lobe N-acetylaspartate in cognitively impaired but nondemented patients. Neurology. 2005 Jan 25; 64(2):282-9.
Ezekiel F, Chao L, Kornak J, Du AT, Cardenas V, Truran D, Jagust W, Chui H, Miller B, Yaffe K, Schuff N, Weiner M. Comparisons between global and focal brain atrophy rates in normal aging and Alzheimer disease: Boundary Shift Integral versus tracing of the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2004 Oct-Dec; 18(4):196-201.
Chao LL, Lindgren JA, Flenniken DL, Weiner MW. ERP evidence of impaired central nervous system function in virally suppressed HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy. Clin Neurophysiol. 2004 Jul; 115(7):1583-91.
Meyerhoff DJ, Blumenfeld R, Truran D, Lindgren J, Flenniken D, Cardenas V, Chao LL, Rothlind J, Studholme C, Weiner MW. Effects of heavy drinking, binge drinking, and family history of alcoholism on regional brain metabolites. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2004 Apr; 28(4):650-61.
Chao LL, Cardenas VA, Meyerhoff DJ, Rothlind JC, Flenniken DL, Lindgren JA, Weiner MW. Abnormal contingent negative variation in HIV patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. Neuroreport. 2003 Nov 14; 14(16):2111-5.
Chao LL, Meyerhoff DJ, Cardenas VA, Rothlind JC, Weiner MW. Abnormal CNV in chronic heavy drinkers. Clin Neurophysiol. 2003 Nov; 114(11):2081-95.