Reporter July 29 2016

Man holds his hand over his mouth while coughing into it

HIV treatment and TB risk

Tuberculosis (TB) remains an important public health problem, particularly among people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Pregnant woman holding pill pack

Fetal impact of antidepressants

Antidepressant use during pregnancy is common. Fetal exposure to the class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is associated with the life-threatening condition PPHN (persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn), but a causal link has not been established.

Refining neural circuitry

During development, neural circuits are remodeled – some synapses are eliminated and others are strengthened – to produce a mature, functional nervous system.

hamburger and fries

Possible overeating antidote

The 2C-subtype of the serotonin receptor (5HT2C), which binds the neurotransmitter serotonin, plays an important role in regulating food intake and metabolism.

Changes in care improve recovery for surgery patients

Many patients having surgeries at Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt are experiencing better recoveries, with less opioids for pain, fewer post-surgery complications and shorter hospital stays due to the work of a medical team that has transformed the way surgeries are handled.

Award bolsters study of alcohol’s impact on the brain

Vanderbilt University researcher Danny Winder, Ph.D., has received a MERIT Award from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Addiction (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, for his contributions to understanding how alcohol affects the brain.

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