Richard Wahl elected to National Academy of Medicine
Richard L. Wahl, MD, the Elizabeth E. Mallinckrodt Professor and head of radiology at the School of Medicine, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, formerly known as the Institute of Medicine. Election to this academy is considered one of the highest honors in the field of health and medicine in the United States.
Premature birth appears to weaken brain connections
Babies born prematurely face an increased risk of neurological and psychiatric problems that may be due to weakened connections in brain networks linked to attention, communication and the processing of emotions, according to new School of Medicine research led by Cynthia Rogers, MD.
The brain’s wiring is linked to good – and bad – behavioral traits
The way our brains are wired may reveal a lot about us, according to new research co-authored by scientists at Washington University in St. Louis. For example, people with “positive” behavioral traits, such as sharp memories, many years of education and robust physical endurance, have stronger neural connections between certain brain regions than people with “negative” traits, such as smoking, aggressive behavior and a family history of alcohol abuse.
In kids, young adults with asthma, pay attention to weight gain
Following patients from childhood into young adulthood, a study led by Robert Strunk, MD, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows the progression toward worse lung function in those who become obese as they grow into young adulthood.
Schizophrenia symptoms linked to features of brain’s anatomy
Using advanced brain imaging, researchers have matched certain behavioral symptoms of schizophrenia to features of the brain’s anatomy. The findings, from a research team led by the School of Medicine’s C. Robert Cloninger, MD, PhD, (shown) and Igor Zwir, PhD, could be a step toward improving diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia.
White named James P. Keating, MD, Professor of Pediatrics
Andrew J. White, MD, director of the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named the James P. Keating, MD, Professor of Pediatrics. White also directs the pediatric residency program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
Washington People: Enola Proctor
Enola Proctor, PhD, has spent her academic career focused on one
central question: How can we ensure the highest quality of care for all
individuals in need? Her work is hugely important in speeding the adoption and delivery of critical medical care and in reducing disparities in health care.
Surgeons restore hand, arm movement to quadriplegic patients
A pioneering surgical technique has restored some hand and arm movement to patients immobilized by spinal cord injuries in the neck, reports a new study at the School of Medicine. The researchers assessed outcomes of nerve-transfer surgery in nine quadriplegic patients. Each of the nine reported improved hand and arm function.
Loss of support cells in brain may inhibit neuronal development
Shedding light on possible contributors to autism, schizophrenia and other neuro-psychiatric disorders, School of Medicine researchers have found that a type of support cell in the brain, called an astrocyte, may play a role in the ability of neurons to communicate.
Neurosurgical training in Ireland fosters personal, professional growth
Through an elective rotation that began nearly 15 years ago, neurosurgery residents at the School of Medicine have an opportunity to see how complex neurosurgical procedures are performed in another country with a markedly different health-care system.
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