Brain

A team of neuroscientists at Vanderbilt University has taken an important step toward uncovering the mystery behind the California sea lion's prodigious intelligence by conducting the first comprehensive study of their central nervous systems. Read More

Vanderbilt investigators report an improved model for estimating brain health, using MRI. Read More

Functional magnetic resonance imaging has revealed faulty circuits between the thalamus – a central hub of brain activity – and other brain regions. Read More

Vanderbilt researchers have identified the role that a key protein associated with autism and the co-occurrence of alcohol dependency and depression plays in forming the spines that create new connections in the brain. Read More

Two proteins interact to maintain selenium levels in the brain, and protect neurons from degeneration. Read More

Vanderbilt investigators have used two types of neuroimaging to establish a “map” of connections for a brain region important in anxiety and addiction. Read More

Obesity causes peripheral immune cells to move to the brain, where they may contribute to inflammation and the pathophysiology of obesity. Read More

With the help of computerized eye trackers, new research finds that at least 50 percent of people can see the movement of their own hand even in the absence of all light. Read More

See how a wireless capsule could help during minimally invasive surgeries Why magnesium and vitamin D are a match made in heaven And do you really see the S in the USA network logo? Watch this QuickVU roundup of research stories. [vucastblurb]… Read More

Neuroscientists have identified the location in the brain's visual cortex responsible for generating a common perceptual illusion: seeing shapes and surfaces that don't really exist when viewing a fragmented background. Read More

A team of Vanderbilt researchers has provided important validation of maps of the brain at rest that may offer insights into changes in the brain that occur in neurological and psychiatric diseases. Read More

Diabetes has a big impact on the brain. Read More

Kenneth Catania, Stevenson Professor of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University, is one of 18 scientists who have been honored by the National Academy of Sciences for their outstanding scientific achievements in a wide range of fields spanning the physical, biological and social sciences. Read More

Even relatively low levels of in utero alcohol exposure impact fetal brain development, and the effects last into adulthood, study finds. Read More

Women are better than men at recognizing living things and men are better than women at recognizing vehicles: That is the unanticipated result of an analysis of data from a series of visual recognition tasks collected by Vanderbilt psychologists. Read More

The Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Center is now offering pre-concussion baseline testing to all community recreational athletes, in advance of many high-impact seasonal sports resuming this fall. Read More

This Week on VUCast, Vanderbilt’s online newscast: Playing hard can lead to concussions. See a new way to keep your brain safety in check! Meet Vanderbilt’s new sports authority Commodores on the cat walk [vucastblurb]… Read More

When discovering drugs for brain disorders, it’s important to test the candidates in multiple ways to avoid advancing those with restricted physiological effects. Read More

New findings point to brain circuitry that communicates about the body’s nutritional status and regulates how nutrients are mobilized. Read More

An interdisciplinary team of scientists have successfully tagged a protein that regulates the neurotransmitter serotonin with tiny fluorescent beads, allowing them to track the movements of individual molecules for the first time. This capability makes it possible to study the manner in which serotonin regulates mood, appetite and sleep at a new level of detail. Read More