The Neuroscience Meet Up is a casual, friendly monthly event facilitating interdisciplinary conversations between University of Missouri researchers at all levels. Please forward this event to anyone interested: students, faculty or staff within your groups.

For questions about this event and to be added to the monthly calendar invite, please reach out to Smita Saxena at smitasaxena@health.missouri.edu.

Speaker Bio

Beversdorf is working to determine possible causes of autism. He led a team of researchers in examining in utero stress, genetic markers, fatty acid profile and other prenatal factors in families of children with autism and families of children without autism. They discovered connections between prenatal stress, genetics, health and nutrition, and the predisposition for autism.  Beversdorf is also using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to understand the role of the neurotransmitter noradrenaline in the treatment of autism, as well as effects of stress on the brain.

In addition, Beversdorf is striving to make life easier for those with autism and neurological dysfunctions. He discovered that propranolol, a drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure and anxiety, could improve social functioning, language abilities and working memory in people with autism. He is now leading a team investigating whether elderberry juice, known for its anti-inflammatory effects, could improve cognition and delay progression of dementia in older adults.

Dr. David Beversdorf is a professor and the William and Nancy Thompson Endowed Chair in radiology and neurology in the School of Medicine and psychological sciences in the College of Arts and Science. He is also a researcher at MU’s Brain Imaging Center and the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. His research has been funded by National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Department of Defense, the Stallone Fund and the National Alliance for Autism Research.