NCATS

April 25, 2023

COVID alters respiratory microbiota

COVID-19 infection alters the microbes of the upper respiratory tract for at least several weeks, and such disturbances could impact disease severity and be targets for therapeutic interventions.

By Leigh MacMillan
April 20, 2023

Overactive bladder and anxiety

Anxiety and psychological stress impact hypersensitivity mechanisms in women that could contribute to overactive bladder — a frequent and sudden urge to urinate that is difficult to control.

By Sarah E. Glass
April 20, 2023

Genetics and chronic pain

Polygenic risk scores — scores that reflect the influence of common genetic variants — could be used to predict the likelihood of developing chronic overlapping pain conditions and guide biomarker and targeted prevention efforts.

By Bill Snyder
March 7, 2023

Treating delirium detected in the ED

Higher intensity physical or occupational therapy may be a useful intervention to shorten delirium duration in older hospitalized adults, Vanderbilt researchers recently reported.

By Leigh MacMillan
February 21, 2023

Diabetes drug may improve asthma

New biomarker finding strengthens the case for using GLP-1R agonists to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes who also suffer from asthma.

By Sarah E. Glass
January 6, 2023

Early effects of Huntington disease

Impairments in brain executive function happen earlier than motor symptoms in people with the gene mutation that causes Huntington disease, suggesting younger ages and cognitive symptoms be considered for any future clinical trials.

By Kelsey Pinckard
November 22, 2022

Risk score for muscular dystrophy

An imaging-based risk score can identify patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who are at greater risk of early mortality, allowing more intensive treatment and potentially prolonging life.
By Kelsey Pinckard
November 8, 2022

Alzheimer’s risk factor and cognition

Vanderbilt researchers found that a protein with roles in innate immunity worsens memory at baseline in carriers of APOE-e4, the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, further implicating neuroinflammation in cognitive decline.
By Leigh MacMillan
November 7, 2022

Gene mutations impair gut barrier

Mutations in a cell membrane transporter protein impair the integrity of the gut lining, contributing to chronic gastrointestinal distress for people with the mutations, Vanderbilt researchers report.
By Kelsey Pinckard
September 29, 2022

Policy, resources crucial for lung cancer screening: study

Vanderbilt reseach shows that resources for lung cancer screening programs increased the number of veterans screened.
By Leigh MacMillan
September 26, 2022

Gender differences with bladder pain

Gender differences in the pain experiences and treatment needs of people with a urologic pain syndrome could be used to improve interventions, Vanderbilt researchers report.
By Leigh MacMillan
September 22, 2022

Reduced exercise capacity in ICU survivors

ICU survivors who have impaired exercise capacity months after discharge may have damaged muscle mitochondria — the energy powerhouses of the cell, Vanderbilt researchers propose.
By Kelsey Pinckard
August 29, 2022

Blood cancer progression

Vanderbilt researchers used single-cell technologies to explore the accumulation of mutations during blood cancer progression, which could help identify strategies for preventing leukemia before it occurs.
By Leigh MacMillan