Autism

At Vanderbilt, people with autism aren’t only research subjects—they are key drivers of scientific discovery. Vanderbilt’s autism research centers and academic programs have fostered a collaborative ecosystem where neurodiverse scholars and scientists can thrive and bring their unique perspectives and abilities to bear on complex research challenges. Read More

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center are seeking children and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 16 years old who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability to participate in a research study examining the effect of theatre on children with ASD and ID. Read More

Two Vanderbilt researchers are part of a team that earned a $1 million grant to develop AI-based training that will help neurodiverse people learn to drive—addressing a huge obstacle for that population. “The ability to drive will open up new opportunities for employment and a life of independence for many neurodiverse individuals,” said Nilanjan Sarkar,... Read More

Two Vanderbilt researchers are part of a team that earned a $1 million grant to develop AI-based training that will help neurodiverse people learn to drive—addressing a huge obstacle for that population. “The ability to drive will open up new opportunities for employment and a life of independence for many neurodiverse individuals,” said Nilanjan Sarkar,... Read More

Tim Vogus, deputy director of Vanderbilt's Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, uses research to push for a workforce that welcomes, accepts, and embraces neurodivergent professionals. Read More

New research from Vanderbilt Business identifies ways that managers can set up autistic employees for success. Read More

Blythe Corbett, PhD, professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and investigator with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, recently led a study which found that on average, females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experienced the onset of puberty 9.5 months earlier than their peers. Read More

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders benefited from the addition of mindfulness-based stress reduction to parent-implemented behavioral interventions. Read More

Maithilee Kunda and postdoc Roxanne Rashedi have developed a game called Film Detective to help adolescents on the autism spectrum learn to decode social scenarios. Read More

Vanderbilt investigators have linked genetic mutations in a single receptor to epilepsy, autism and intellectual disability. Read More

Written by Heidi Hall Alpacas aren’t the typical animals that drivers spot as they wind their way through rural Tennessee, but there’s a happy herd of them outside Waverly, where they eat the finest pellets, walk up and down a scenic hill and potentially save lives. They’re owned by… Read More

A first-of-its-kind mouse model may help reveal mechanistic underpinnings for the altered behaviors of autism spectrum disorder. Read More

Is the sense of touch perceived differently in people without autism? Read More

Temple Grandin visits Vanderbilt for the Chancellor’s Lecture Series on Thursday, November 29, 2018. (Photo by Claire Barnett) Peabody College senior Claire Barnett, left, poses with autism advocate Temple Grandin before Grandin’s appearance at Vanderbilt in November as part of the Chancellor’s Lecture Series. A senior majoring in human… Read More

Middle Tennessee children with autism spectrum disorder are 2.5 times more likely than children without ASD to be reported to the Child Abuse Hotline by age 8. Read More

The leaders of a new Vanderbilt initiative for young adults with autism are looking to expand its reach through distance learning. Launched a year ago to primarily serve Middle Tennessee residents, Spectrum Pathways has generated out-of-state interest with some participants flying into Nashville to take part. Read More

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) have found that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be accurately diagnosed in young children via remote, telemedicine assessments, a method that could significantly increase access and reduce wait times for autism services. In a first-of-its-kind study, the researchers compared the accuracy of rapid… Read More

  Autism researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and two other universities have received a $2.99 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to conduct a four-year multisite project investigating the impact of theatre and peer mediation on the social competence of youth with autism spectrum… Read More

Mark Wallace, Ph.D., drops his glasses on his desk and they land with a metallic clang. He is making a point about autism. “There’s sound energy and light energy that come from the same place in space,” said Wallace, dean of the Graduate School at Vanderbilt University and Louise B. Read More

New insights into the long-lasting effects of Fragile X syndrome on connections in the brain during early development highlight the importance of early detection and treatment. Read More