In the News

Hypnosis Diminishes Pain, Urinary-Tract Symptoms Author and @VUMCPsych faculty Lindsey McKernan @LCMPhD states “It was exciting to see that we can change the urologic symptoms with a method that doesn’t use medications" @VUMCDiscoveries Learn more at: https://discoveries.vanderbilthealth.com/2024/03/hypnosis-diminishes-pa…

A study published by Kristopher Kast & peers demonstrates improved opioid use disorder outcomes associated with addiction psychiatry consultation in the general hospital. Patients receiving consultation were more likely to receive MOUD & to have fewer ED & hospital readmissions. Impact of inpatient addiction psychiatry consultation on opioid use disorder outcomes - Kast - The American Journal on Addictions - Wiley Online Library

Volumetric brain MRI signatures of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in the setting of dementia Recent work in collaboration with Dr. Bennett Landman Dr. Warren Taylor and colleagues at the MASI (Medical-image Analysis and Statistical Interpretation) lab examining effects of heart failure on brain structure!

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Allison M. McCarthy, Ph.D., served as lead author on a perspective titled "Ethical Conflicts for Clinicians under Tennessee Abortion Law" published in the May 2023 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. Click here to read the perspective.

Sarah Szymkowicz, PhD and Warren D Taylor, MD recently published expert review article conceptualizing depression in context of the aging process and accelerated aging.  The manuscript also reviews resilience factors and how resilience can be improved therapeutically.  

Warren Taylor, M.D., James G Blakemore Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, served as an author on the recently published article "Influences of resting-state intrinsic functional brain connectivity on the antidepressant treatment response in late-life depression." The article appears in the journal Psychological Medicine and details how connectivity between brain regions measured before treatment may predict response to common antidepressant medications.  This work was led by Mr.

Aaron Brinen, Psy.D. in the Division of Psychology was interviewed for an important story on holiday stress that appeared in US News & World Report. See: https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/how-to-relieve-holiday-stress Also, he was interviewed on Channel 5 on a similar topic of feeling down during the holidays.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences celebrated its 75th anniversary on Nov. 11 with an afternoon program that highlighted its contributions to professional education, research, and clinical care. “We wanted to recognize the important role of the department in the training of physicians and psychologists at Vanderbilt, showcase innovation in our clinical services, and highlight some of our research accomplishments,” said Stephan Heckers, MD, MSc, the William P. and Henry B. Test Professor of Schizophrenia Research and Chair of the Department.

A new prescribing alert helps physicians quickly understand how and why they should offer a naloxone prescription to a patient at high risk for an opioid overdose. The alert contains key facts about the patient’s history, such as previous overdoses and whether a benzodiazepine has also been prescribed. The alert has led to a dramatic increase in naloxone prescribing, which was described in a recent article in Anesthesia & Analgesia.