Brain-gut connection in autism
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are a common source of distress in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the relationship between GI symptoms and autism-related behavior is unclear. Clinical experience suggested to Brittany Peters, M.D., Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, M.D., and colleagues that rigid-compulsive behaviors are associated with severe constipation and co-occurring diarrhea or underwear staining in children with ASD.
Program takes new approach to pain management
Patients with chronic pain who are covered by the Vanderbilt Employee Health Care Plan or workers’ compensation system can now enroll in an innovative rehabilitation program that could dramatically change how chronic pain is treated.
Theatre offers promise for youth with autism, Vanderbilt study finds
A novel autism intervention program using theatre to teach reciprocal communication skills is improving social deficits in adolescents with the disorder that now affects an estimated one in 88 children, Vanderbilt University researchers released today in the journal Autism Research.
Vanderbilt scientists discover potential new way to treat anxiety
Chemically modified inhibitors of the COX-2 enzyme relieve anxiety behaviors in mice by activating natural “endocannabinoids” without gastrointestinal side effects, Vanderbilt University scientists will report next week.
Endocannabinoids are natural signaling molecules that activate cannabinoid receptors in the brain, the same receptors turned on by the active ingredient in marijuana.
After Newtown - A conversation with Peabody faculty on protecting our schools in an age of violence
In the immediate aftermath of the December 2012 murders at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., the public’s horror over the violence escalated into a contentious debate on school safety, bullying, parenting and gun laws. Little is known about why Adam Lanza killed his mother, six educators and 20 first-graders before killing himself. The media replayed the few details that were known, but the traumatic incident left many questions in its wake.
LEND and Psychiatry—A Good Match
Vanderbilt LEND trainees typically come with backgrounds in audiology, occupational and physical therapy, and nursing, among other fields, but this year, LEND welcomed its first trainee in psychiatry.
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Autism speeds motion perception
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are “markedly better” at perceiving the motion of certain objects than are typically developing children their age, according to researchers at Vanderbilt University and the University of Rochester.
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NIH grants bolster autism research, treatment efforts
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have received grant awards from the National Institutes of Health as part of the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) research program. The NIH announced grant awards of $100 million over five years to 11 centers nationwide, three of which feature projects from Vanderbilt Kennedy Center investigators, to further studies on autism treatment and intervention.
Clinic helps foster recovery from initial psychotic breaks
Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital’s Psychotic Disorders Clinic has become a leader in the region for the initial assessment and treatment of young adults suffering from their first psychotic break.
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