The Promise of Discovery

It’s important for speech language pathologists to learn about children’s grammar because grammar deficits are often a sign of a language impairment. For this experiment, researchers had parents and speech language pathologists fill out a checklist (Children’s Communication Checklist-2), to report on children communication skills, and then we compared the results. We learned that parents and speec...

This research explored how combining visual perception with motor practice—specifically drawing unfamiliar symbols—leads to lasting brain changes that support learning. Participants trained by drawing new letter-like symbols over four days while researchers tracked their brain activity using fMRI scans before, immediately after, and one-week post-training. The after-training scans revealed signifi...

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a neurodevelopmental disease which affects about 100,000 people in the US. Around 80% of these patients experience cognitive and intellectual impairments which are unaffected by currently approved therapies for NF1. A recent genetic study from our lab identified an association between the NF1 disease and a receptor protein called metabotropic glutamate receptor 7...

Although children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) more often experience mental health concerns, they do not always receive mental health services. This episode outlines a study that examined the barriers of caregiver familiarity with services.   Featuring: Verity Rodrigues, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; TRIAD Educational Consultant Interviewer: Robert Hodapp, Ph...

While public attitudes towards many stigmatized groups have improved in recent years, the same has not been true for people living with schizophrenia, making those with the disorder particularly at risk for social exclusion. The research presented in this episode explores how people with schizophrenia experience and respond to social exclusion, as well as what can be done to promote inclusion.  Fe...

The needs of siblings of individuals with disabilities are under studied. The research presented in this episode highlights theme areas of support as raised by 446 siblings of individuals with autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. It asks and answers the question: What would have been beneficial to you growing up as the sibling of a person with a disability?  Featuring: Gillian Neff, graduate...

This research examines mGlu7, a transmembrane receptor involved in several neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Rett syndrome, ADHD, schizophrenia, and Neurofibromatosis Type 1. The project discussed studies the mechanism of mGlu7 activation by allosteric modulators to develop new treatments and help guide drug discovery efforts. Featuring: Xia Lei, Ph. D., postdoctoral fellow, Vanderbilt Univers...

Many people with autism experience executive functioning (EF) impairments, and its widely acknowledged that these challenges play a significant role in autism. Anxiety symptoms are highly prevalent and impairing challenges for autistic youth, and emerging evidence suggests EF impairments exacerbate anxiety. This study examines how everyday EF impairments are related to specific anxiety symptoms in...

Manganese is essential for brain development and human health. However, excess manganese can be toxic. The Harrison lab discusses how manganese exposures can alter the response to some drugs currently used to treat intellectual and developmental disabilities. Featuring: Adriana Tienda, Lab Manager, Harrison Lab Interviewer: Fiona Harrison, Ph. D., assistant professor of Medicine; Director, IDDRC B...

Adults with Down syndrome have a greatly increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease later in life. Ongoing research focuses on investigating different markers of Alzheimer's disease in adults with Down Syndrome. These studies are specifically examining a neurotransmitter system called the cholinergic system that is vitally important for cognition and known to decline early in Alzheimer's dis...

In 2022, VKC UCEDD Co-Director Erik Carter announced he would be leaving Vanderbilt and taking a position at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Carter to discuss some of his highly impactful research, training and technical assistance in the areas of adolescent transitions to adult life and employment; social interaction and friendships, school and community in...

In this podcast we discuss our research using mice with a genetic deletion similar to a human neurodevelopmental disorder to understand how brain regions important for memory are affected. We discuss the methods we use in mice to study a memory region called the hippocampus and talk about how our research might lead to new treatments for neurodevelopmental conditions. VKC Researcher: Alan Lewis, M...

Rates of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) have increased, and prenatal opioid exposure is thought to have profound effects on the developing nervous system and lead to long-term impairments in functioning, potentially including increased rates of educational and developmental disabilities. This research examines whether preschool-aged children with and without NOWS differ in neural and b...

Community participation is important for family well-being but many families of autistic children report more difficulties and more negative experiences with recreational activities. The Serenade Parent-Child Music Class Program is specifically designed to support neurodiverse children and families during the classes, as well as provide parenting support through home musical activities. In this mi...

The Tennessee Disability Services Study surveyed more than 3,000 individuals with disabilities, family members, educators, providers, agency staff, and health care workers in TN. Questions examined what matters most to disability and professional communities across the state, how they currently find needed information, and solicited their recommendations for making this process easier. Responses a...

This episode features a discussion of the need for meaningful therapies in Rett syndrome (RTT), and highlights the Lavender™ study, a phase 3, 12-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of the drug trofinetide in 187 young females, ages 5 to 20, with Rett syndrome. Investigators discuss public, top-level results of the potential first-of-its-kind drug to treat the symptoms of RTT,...

This episode features discussion of a national survey of special education teachers to assess the level of training they received in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and to collect their reflections and recommendations to support students who use AAC in their classrooms.   VKC Researcher: Alexandra Da Fonte, Ph. D., associate professor of the Practice, Director of Professional Stu...

The estimated prevalence of children in the U.S. with autism spectrum disorder has increased in 2021. Principal investigators from the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s TRIAD lead tracking in Tennessee through a grant from the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. The national tracking study is discussed in this episode. https://vkc.vumc.org/vkc/triad/autismdata/ VKC Res...

The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center researchers in this episode are studying the connection of Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease. The Trial-Ready Cohort-Down Syndrome Study will identify individuals over age 35 with Down syndrome, obtain information about how they are functioning, and evaluate their brain activity and structure. This work will identify individuals with Down syndrome who may be eligi...

The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center researchers in this episode are studying how technology (wearable sensors, new apps, and machine learning) might improve how we understand, predict, and treat problem behaviors in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They also dig into the ethical considerations of their study and of behavioral interventions more broadly.  VKC Researchers:  Amy Wei...

The research in this episode focuses on an intervention for educators to use in schools to support minimally verbal students with autism (ages 5-9) to establish social and communication skills, particularly with their peers.  VKC Researcher: Elizabeth Biggs, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Special Education Interviewer: Emilee Spann, graduate student, Special Education

The research discussed in this episode focuses on how low doses of the drug ketamine produce fast and long-term antidepressant effects and identifies the gene (MeCP2) and processes in the brain that are involved.  VKC Researcher: Lisa Monteggia, Ph. D., Barlow Family Director of the Vanderbilt Brain Institute; Professor of Pharmacology Interviewer: Jeffrey L. Neul, M.D., Ph. D., Annette Schaffer E...

This episode outlines research focused on a new treatment strategy for Rett syndrome and related disorders, tests the hypothesis that there may be specific Rett syndrome populations that are most likely to respond effectively and safely to the treatment, and discusses specific biomarkers, like EEG, that might be used to test how the brain responds.  VKC Researcher: Colleen Niswender, Ph. D., Resea...

Many deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children struggle with reading and the severity of the impairment for some children increases with age. Despite this, we know very little about the brain mechanisms for successful reading in DHH children and do not know why some DHH children are good readers and other are not. The research discussed in this episode uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMR...

ASSIST – Advocating for Supports to Improve Service Transitions – is a program that trains parents of young adults with autism on services that are available in the community and empowers them to advocate for their child to help them successfully transition to adulthood. Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Researcher: Julie Lounds Taylor, Ph. D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry & Behavi...