August 2026
A new look at a brain system that shapes motivation, stress, and mood
Since 1976, researchers have been investigating a brain system called the kappa opioid receptor system (KOR). It has been linked to how we experience stress, pain, learning, motivation, and drug use. A long‑standing belief in neuroscience…
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PATHS to Reading: Expanding the world of literacy for children who use AAC
A new five-year project led by Elizabeth Biggs, Ph.D., assistant professor of special education and a Vanderbilt Kennedy Center member, is taking on a long-standing gap in early education for children with disabilities who are nonspeaking…
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Team offers strategies to improve collaboration among educators of students with deafblindness
Students who are deafblind vary widely in their abilities, their level of disability, and their support needs, and they often present unique challenges in how teachers can best tailor supports and modifications to enhance the students’…
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This is a monthly email of Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Notables published by the Communications staff of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. Between issues of Notables, you can stay up to date on the latest Vanderbilt Kennedy Center news, information, and resources via the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s Facebook page.


