Department of Neurology Archives
Pilot study suggests Parkinson’s disease progression can be slowed
Jun. 30, 2020—A pair of ultra-thin electrodes surgically implanted deep into the brain might slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease, according to five-year outcomes from a 30-patient randomized clinical trial conducted by investigators at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Single mutation causes seizure disorder
Jun. 22, 2020—A single mutation in one gene can impair inhibitory signaling in the brain and cause multiple types of seizures and behavioral abnormalities.
Darby lands award for research on complex human behaviors
May. 27, 2020—For outstanding contributions to research in behavioral neurology, Ryan Darby, MD, assistant professor of Neurology, has won the 2020 Norman Geschwind Prize in Behavioral Neurology from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).
New study examines Alzheimer’s disease images and molecular biomarkers
May. 7, 2020—Alzheimer’s disease (AD) involves distinctive wasting away of certain brain regions, such that medical imaging of these regions can distinguish the disease from other subtypes of dementia.
Spasticity underdiagnosed
Mar. 24, 2020—Spasticity — a consequence of stroke and other disorders of the central nervous system — may be underdiagnosed and undertreated in nursing home residents.
Grant bolsters research on subjective cognitive decline
Feb. 27, 2020—Katherine Gifford, PsyD, MS, assistant professor of Neurology, has been awarded a five-year, $4.3 million research grant from the National Institute on Aging to study what subjective cognitive decline can reveal about underlying pathology.
Multiple Sclerosis Society honors Bagnato
Feb. 27, 2020— by Paul Govern Francesca Bagnato, PhD, MD, assistant professor of Neurology, has won the Health Professional Champion award from the Mid South Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The annual award recognizes a health care professional active in the MS Society who provides leadership, advocacy and education to further the fight against MS....
A new anti-seizure target?
Dec. 12, 2019—Vanderbilt neurologists have identified a protein modification that could be targeted to reduce neuronal excitability in epilepsy.
Digital study to evaluate how behavior strategies impact sleep in children with autism
Oct. 31, 2019—VUMC is recruiting nationally for a study on how to improve sleep in children with autism using a behavioral intervention given to parents entirely online, tracked by a digital portal.
Grant bolsters Schrag’s Alzheimer’s disease research
Oct. 17, 2019—Matthew Schrag, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Neurology, has received a Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging for research into the function of a novel protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease risk.
Team discovers one more piece to the autism puzzle
Oct. 3, 2019—Vanderbilt investigators have linked genetic mutations in a single receptor to epilepsy, autism and intellectual disability.
Astrocytes and epilepsy
Sep. 9, 2019—A protein with important functions in astrocytes — star-shaped brain support cells — may alter neuronal excitability and contribute to seizure activity, Vanderbilt researchers report.
