A genetic predisposition to Parkinson’s disease makes neurons more vulnerable to the toxicity of heavy metals such as copper.

Vanderbilt researchers have developed tools to probe the role of the essential metal manganese in neurons, and which offer a started point for developing therapeutic agents for manganese-related neurological disorders.

Reporting last week in the journal Cell, researchers from Oregon Health and Science University, Harvard Medical School and Vanderbilt University describe the first “four-dimensional” picture of a brain receptor that plays a key role in learning and memory.

A long-term Vanderbilt University Medical Center study of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in early-stage Parkinson’s disease has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue in a pivotal, phase III, large-scale safety and efficacy trial.

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego and Vanderbilt University have discovered a “missing link” in the structure of a transmembrane receptor that could lead to new treatments for autism, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Amish populations are valuable for genetic research because of their isolation, shared ancestry and homogeneous lifestyles.

These stories from the past year show how Vanderbilt is making an impact, on campus and in the world.