brain

Study sheds light on a ‘guardian’ protein of brain function

Mitochondria not only are the cell’s main power producers, they are also the chief cooks and bottle washers.

Grant spurs schizophrenia research

Vanderbilt University is partnering with the William K. Warren Foundation of Tulsa, Oklahoma, on research aimed at improving the treatment of schizophrenia and other forms of serious mental illness.

Hazy definition may hamper catatonia care

Catatonia, a syndrome characterized by muscular rigidity and a trance-like mental stupor, can at times manifest with great excitement and confusion. And while it is often associated with schizophrenia, it can present in patients with either medical or psychiatric conditions. For this reason, the condition has often confused clinicians.

By Nancy Humphrey

January 23, 2015

New view of dopamine heteromers

Although heteromeric dopamine receptors composed of both D1 and D2 subunits have been proposed to play a role in depression and schizophrenia, recent studies suggest these heteromers do not exist.

By VUMC News and Communications

January 8, 2015

Curcumin’s ability to fight Alzheimer’s studied

One of the most promising new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease may already be in your kitchen. Curcumin, a natural product found in the spice turmeric, has been used by many Asian cultures for centuries, and a new study indicates a close chemical analog of curcumin has properties that may make it useful as a treatment for the brain disease.

By VUMC News and Communications

December 18, 2014

Family’s gift bolsters schizophrenia research, treatment

A “transformational” $6.4 million gift from Dallas couple Donald Test Jr., and his wife, Charlotte, who have a very personal connection to the devastating disease of schizophrenia, is supporting Vanderbilt Department of Psychiatry research and treatment into schizophrenia and related disorders.