In the News

Warren D. Taylor, M.D., MHSc, James G Blakemore Professor of Psychiatry, served as lead author of a new publication proposing how dysfunction in the dopamine system may influence depression in older adults. This may influence risk for depression but also serve as a new target for treatment.  The manuscripts provides the rationale for a current multi-site study being conducted at Vanderbilt examining the effect of levodopa (Sinemet) on late-life depression. The paper appears in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. 

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences has received an additional $4 million from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to study the evolution of hippocampal dysfunction in the early stage of psychosis.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience distinct physical changes – including a higher body mass index and advanced pubertal onset – that could heighten social stressors, according to research led by Blythe Corbett, Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

For people with co-occurring mental health disorders and substance use disorders, finding integrated care that treats both conditions can be a difficult task. Vanderbilt Behavioral Health is seeking to simplify care for these patients through the co-occurring disorders intensive outpatient program (IOP).

Older adults with depression face a unique obstacle — dealing with both a mental illness and the challenges that come along with aging. Currently, there are no treatments on the market targeting depression in this specific group. The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences has received a grant to study Sinemet, which may change that. Sinemet, a brand name for the drug levodopa, has historically treated Parkinson’s disease, a brain disorder characterized by injury to dopamine-producing neurons.

Kristopher Kast, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and clinical director of Vanderbilt’s Addiction Consult Service, has discovered a strong association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) pharmacotherapy and retention rates for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. The findings were reported in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.  

 Click the image below to read the DISJ Newsletter, Volume 1, Issue 2 Spring 2021 in its entirety.

Abstract Objective: Through the use of quality improvement methodology, we aimed to increase the percent of eligible patients seen for developmental testing at our institution from 2.6% to 25% within a 36-month timeframe. Method: The Model for Improvement (Langley et al., 2009) was utilized as a framework to develop and implement an interdisciplinary, hospital-based early intervention program that included comprehensive developmental assessments intended to inform intervention services.

      The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has selected Aaron Jeckell’s presentation on concussion for new Course of the Month series.  Dr. Jeckell presented a talk titled “Dispelling Myths About Head Injuries: An Impactful Look at Sport-Related Concussion” at APA’s 2020 virtual Annual Meeting.  His talk was selected to be highlighted as part of APA’s continuing education initiative for APA members. 

Peter R. Martin, M.D., professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pharmacology and director of the Vanderbilt Addiction Center, served as editor for the first book released by the International Network for the History of Neuropsychopharmacology (INHN) of the same name, "International Network for the History of Neuropsychopharmacology." Authors include Martin, Thomas A.