Department Of Psychiatry

Many women who receive chemotherapy for breast cancer report problems with their thinking, memory and attention after treatment. Read More

Vanderbilt investigators report the first use of a specialized type of MRI to study the hippocampus in patients with schizophrenia. Read More

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. Read More

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. Read More

Vanderbilt investigators have used a computational biology approach to uncover new cancer drivers and biomarkers of anticancer drug response. Read More

Harsh Trivedi, M.D., MBA, associate professor of Psychiatry, vice chair for Clinical Affairs for Vanderbilt’s Department of Psychiatry, and executive director and chief medical officer of Vanderbilt Behavioral Health, has been selected to serve on the American Hospital Association’s Governing Council on Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Services. Read More

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder share common genetic underpinnings. Vanderbilt researchers combined high-resolution gene expression studies with gene association data to reveal signaling pathways linked to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Read More

Stephan Heckers, M.D., M.Sc., William P. and Henry B. Test Professor of Schizophrenia Research and chair of the Department of Psychiatry, has been named the next editor-in-chief of JAMA Psychiatry, one of nine specialty journals in the JAMA Network. Read More

It may be possible to use skin cells as biomarkers to diagnose and manage depression. Read More

A retrospective analysis of Tennessee physicians who underwent fitness-for-duty evaluations by Vanderbilt found an “astoundingly” high rate of suicide among physicians who were found unfit to practice, were in solo practice, or if they were taking anti-anxiety drugs. Read More

Vanderbilt investigators have constructed a network map that could guide the development of new targeted cancer therapies. Read More

Augmenting the signals of natural “endocannabinoids” in the brain may be a promising approach for treating mood and anxiety disorders. 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

Researchers at Vanderbilt have been able to alter mouse behavior by silencing gene expression in interneurons, distinct populations of nerve cells that are the main regulators of brain circuits. Read More

The antioxidant vitamin E prevented the buildup of toxic products in a model of a rare genetic disorder, suggesting new strategies for therapeutic development. Read More

An association between rigid-compulsive behaviors and gastrointestinal symptoms in autism spectrum disorder may point to a common biological pathway that impacts both the brain and the gut. Read More

The breast cancer drug tamoxifen improves cognitive performance in post-menopausal women. Read More

MRI brain scans reveal that children with autism spectrum disorders respond to a narrower range of familiar rewards. Read More

A study of 381 non-Vanderbilt physicians referred to the Vanderbilt Comprehensive Assessment Program has shown that those referred for mental health, substance abuse and improper sexual boundary issues are less likely to receive a fit for duty recommendation than those referred for disruptive behavior. Read More

A study of 381 non-Vanderbilt physicians referred to the Vanderbilt Comprehensive Assessment Program (VCAP) in the Department of Psychiatry has shown that those referred for mental health, substance abuse and improper sexual boundary issues are less likely to receive a fit for duty recommendation than those referred for disruptive behavior. Read More