Vanderbilt Kennedy Center

Researchers at Vanderbilt have identified what may be a genetic “smoking gun” for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) — a mutation in the gene for the critical neuronal protein CaMKII.

The Education and Brain Laboratory in the Department of Special Education at Peabody College is seeking participants for a longitudinal study investigating children's reading progress from second through fifth grades.

Vanderbilt researchers are seeking participants for a study of how children and adults listen in the presence of background noise. Specifically, the researchers want to learn why children have a harder time listening in noisy environments than adults.

The study aims to promote children’s healthy adjustment by teaching families about stress, providing parenting information that may reduce feelings of depression, and teaching children coping skills.

A mutation associated with epilepsy and autism also is responsible for a “pale eye” trait in two rare genetic disorders, Angelman syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome, neuroscientists at Vanderbilt University Medical Center reported this week.

Jeffrey Neul, M.D., Ph.D., division head of Child Neurology and vice chair for Developmental Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego, will present a lecture on Friday, Dec. 16, at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC).

Vittorio Gallo, Ph.D., Wolf-Pack Chair in Neuroscience Research and director of the Center for Neuroscience Research with the Children’s Research Institute at Children’s National Medical Center, will present a lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC).