Robert P. Carson, Ph.D., M.D.

Associate Professor

robert.carson@vanderbilt.edu
Faculty Appointments
Associate Professor of Pediatrics Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Education
M.D., Medicine , Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TennesseePh.D., Pharmacology , Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TennesseeB.S., University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota
Publications
Carson RP, Riordan H, Short B, Davis T, Fang J, Giritharan A, Isaacs DA, Blackburn J, Aravamuthan B. Myoclonic Dystonia: A Common Phenomenology in the Pleomorphic Movements of Angelman Syndrome. Mov Disord Clin Pract [print-electronic]. 2025 Sep; 12(9): 1313-25. PMID: 40317695, DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.70106, ISSN: 2330-1619.

Mabrouk OS, Comfort Harris NT, Komorowski RW, Fraser K, Berry-Kravis E, Shen MD, Bird LM, Tan WH, Carson RP, Heimer G, Amaral B, Crean R, Dillon GM, Gilbert JP, Holmberg KH, Zhang H, Hubbard S, Shomo AA, Kapadnis U, Traube-Childs A, Graham DL, Koirala S, Nguyen V. Novel method for detection of UBE3A protein in CSF from individuals with Angelman syndrome. Mol Genet Metab [print-electronic]. 2025 Jul; 145(3): 109132. PMID: 40411957, PII: S1096-7192(25)00123-4, DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2025.109132, ISSN: 1096-7206.

Varughese N, Horn F, Carson RP. Gelastic spells in Angelman Syndrome, when laughter isn't funny. Epilepsy Behav Rep. 2025 Mar; 29: 100751. PMID: 40034179, PMCID: PMC11872623, PII: S2589-9864(25)00011-5, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebr.2025.100751, ISSN: 2589-9864.

Passiak BS, Carozza RB, Carson RP, Reddy SB. Creation of an advancing adult and pediatric neurology resident EEG curriculum. Epilepsy Behav [print-electronic]. 2023 Aug; 145: 109351. PMID: 37437392, PII: S1525-5050(23)00270-6, DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109351, ISSN: 1525-5069.

McKnight D, Morales A, Hatchell KE, Bristow SL, Bonkowsky JL, Perry MS, Berg AT, Borlot F, Esplin ED, Moretz C, Angione K, Ríos-Pohl L, Nussbaum RL, Aradhya S, , Haldeman-Englert CR, Levy RJ, Parachuri VG, Lay-Son G, de Montellano DJD, Ramirez-Garcia MA, Benítez Alonso EO, Ziobro J, Chirita-Emandi A, Felix TM, Kulasa-Luke D, Megarbane A, Karkare S, Chagnon SL, Humberson JB, Assaf MJ, Silva S, Zarroli K, Boyarchuk O, Nelson GR, Palmquist R, Hammond KC, Hwang ST, Boutlier SB, Nolan M, Batley KY, Chavda D, Reyes-Silva CA, Miroshnikov O, Zuccarelli B, Amlie-Wolf L, Wheless JW, Seinfeld S, Kanhangad M, Freeman JL, Monroy-Santoyo S, Rodriguez-Vazquez N, Ryan MM, Machie M, Guerra P, Hassan MJ, Candee MS, Bupp CP, Park KL, Muller E, Lupo P, Pedersen RC, Arain AM, Murphy A, Schatz K, Mu W, Kalika PM, Plaza L, Kellogg MA, Lora EG, Carson RP, Svystilnyk V, Venegas V, Luke RR, Jiang H, Stetsenko T, Dueñas-Roque MM, Trasmonte J, Burke RJ, Hurst ACE, Smith DM, Massingham LJ, Pisani L, Costin CE, Ostrander B, Filloux FM, Ananth AL, Mohamed IS, Nechai A, Dao JM, Fahey MC, Aliu E, Falchek S, Press CA, Treat L, Eschbach K, Starks A, Kammeyer R, Bear JJ, Jacobson M, Chernuha V, Meibos B, Wong K, Sweney MT, Espinoza AC, Van Orman CB, Weinstock A, Kumar A, Soler-Alfonso C, Nolan DA, Raza M, Rojas Carrion MD, Chari G, Marsh ED, Shiloh-Malawsky Y, Parikh S, Gonzalez-Giraldo E, Fulton S, Sogawa Y, Burns K, Malets M, Montiel Blanco JD, Habela CW, Wilson CA, Guzmán GG, Pavliuk M. Genetic Testing to Inform Epilepsy Treatment Management From an International Study of Clinical Practice. JAMA Neurol. 2022 Dec 12/1/2022; 79(12): 1267-76. PMID: 36315135, PMCID: PMC9623482, PII: 2797510, DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.3651, ISSN: 2168-6157.

Walker SA, Armour EA, Crants S, Carson RP, Reddy SB. Electroencephalogram background and head ultrasound together stratify seizure risk in neonates undergoing hypothermia. Epilepsy Behav [print-electronic]. 2022 Aug; 133: 108784. PMID: 35752054, PII: S1525-5050(22)00233-5, DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108784, ISSN: 1525-5069.

Carson RP, Herber DL, Pan Z, Phibbs F, Key AP, Gouelle A, Ergish P, Armour EA, Patel S, Duis J. Nutritional Formulation for Patients with Angelman Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Exogenous Ketones. J Nutr. 2021 Dec 12/3/2021; 151(12): 3628-36. PMID: 34510212, PMCID: PMC10103907, PII: S0022-3166(22)13165-2, DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxab284, ISSN: 1541-6100.

Klofas LK, Short BP, Snow JP, Sinnaeve J, Rushing GV, Westlake G, Weinstein W, Ihrie RA, Ess KC, Carson RP. DEPDC5 haploinsufficiency drives increased mTORC1 signaling and abnormal morphology in human iPSC-derived cortical neurons. Neurobiol Dis [print-electronic]. 2020 Sep; 143: 104975. PMID: 32574724, PMCID: PMC7462127, PII: S0969-9961(20)30250-3, DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104975, ISSN: 1095-953X.

Klofas LK, Short BP, Zhou C, Carson RP. Prevention of premature death and seizures in a Depdc5 mouse epilepsy model through inhibition of mTORC1. Hum Mol Genet. 2020 May 5/28/2020; 29(8): 1365-77. PMID: 32280987, PMCID: PMC7254848, PII: 5819308, DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa068, ISSN: 1460-2083.

Wharton JD, Kozek LK, Carson RP. Author's Reply to Samanta [letter]. Pediatr Neurol [print-electronic]. 2020 Apr; 105: 75-6. PMID: 32029336, PII: S0887-8994(19)30994-4, DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2019.12.004, ISSN: 1873-5150.

Wharton JD, Kozek LK, Carson RP. Increased Seizure Frequency Temporally Related to Vaping: Where There's Vapor, There's Seizures?. Pediatr Neurol [print-electronic]. 2020 Mar; 104: 66-7. PMID: 31917097, PII: S0887-8994(19)30919-1, DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2019.10.006, ISSN: 1873-5150.

Patel SH, Carson RP, Jordan LC, Pagano LM. Rapid ictal transition of focal epilepsy to infantile spasms in neurofibromatosis type 1 captured with EEG. Epilepsy Behav Rep. 2020; 14: 100374. PMID: 32642639, PMCID: PMC7334590, PII: S2589-9864(20)30022-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebr.2020.100374, ISSN: 2589-9864.

Kang SK, Vanoye CG, Misra SN, Echevarria DM, Calhoun JD, O'Connor JB, Fabre KL, McKnight D, Demmer L, Goldenberg P, Grote LE, Thiffault I, Saunders C, Strauss KA, Torkamani A, van der Smagt J, van Gassen K, Carson RP, Diaz J, Leon E, Jacher JE, Hannibal MC, Litwin J, Friedman NR, Schreiber A, Lynch B, Poduri A, Marsh ED, Goldberg EM, Millichap JJ, George AL, Kearney JA. Spectrum of KV 2.1 Dysfunction in KCNB1-Associated Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Ann Neurol [print-electronic]. 2019 Dec; 86(6): 899-912. PMID: 31600826, PMCID: PMC7025436, DOI: 10.1002/ana.25607, ISSN: 1531-8249.

Carson RP, Bird L, Childers AK, Wheeler F, Duis J. Preserved expressive language as a phenotypic determinant of Mosaic Angelman Syndrome. Mol Genet Genomic Med [print-electronic]. 2019 Sep; 7(9): e837. PMID: 31400086, PMCID: PMC6732290, DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.837, ISSN: 2324-9269.

Short B, Kozek L, Harmsen H, Zhang B, Wong M, Ess KC, Fu C, Naftel R, Pearson MM, Carson RP. Cerebral aquaporin-4 expression is independent of seizures in tuberous sclerosis complex. Neurobiol Dis [print-electronic]. 2019 Sep; 129: 93-101. PMID: 31078684, PII: S0969-9961(19)30118-4, DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.05.003, ISSN: 1095-953X.

West KL, Kelm ND, Carson RP, Gochberg DF, Ess KC, Does MD. Myelin volume fraction imaging with MRI. Neuroimage [print-electronic]. 2018 Nov 11/15/2018; 182: 511-21. PMID: 28025129, PMCID: PMC5481512, PII: S1053-8119(16)30793-5, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.12.067, ISSN: 1095-9572.

Porcari GS, Fu C, Doll ED, Carter EG, Carson RP. Efficacy of artisanal preparations of cannabidiol for the treatment of epilepsy: Practical experiences in a tertiary medical center. Epilepsy Behav [print-electronic]. 2018 Mar; 80: 240-6. PMID: 29429908, PII: S1525-5050(18)30009-X, DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2018.01.026, ISSN: 1525-5069.

West KL, Kelm ND, Carson RP, Alexander DC, Gochberg DF, Does MD. Experimental studies of g-ratio MRI in ex vivo mouse brain. Neuroimage [print-electronic]. 2018 Feb 2/15/2018; 167: 366-71. PMID: 29208572, PMCID: PMC5845846, PII: S1053-8119(17)31010-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.11.064, ISSN: 1095-9572.

Grier MD, West KL, Kelm ND, Fu C, Does MD, Parker B, McBrier E, Lagrange AH, Ess KC, Carson RP. Loss of mTORC2 signaling in oligodendrocyte precursor cells delays myelination. PLoS One. 2017; 12(11): e0188417. PMID: 29161318, PMCID: PMC5697806, PII: PONE-D-17-24835, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188417, ISSN: 1932-6203.

Kaden E, Kelm ND, Carson RP, Does MD, Alexander DC. Multi-compartment microscopic diffusion imaging. Neuroimage [print-electronic]. 2016 Oct 10/1/2016; 139: 346-59. PMID: 27282476, PMCID: PMC5517363, PII: S1053-8119(16)30206-3, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.06.002, ISSN: 1095-9572.

West KL, Kelm ND, Carson RP, Does MD. A revised model for estimating g-ratio from MRI. Neuroimage [print-electronic]. 2016 Jan 1/15/2016; 125: 1155-8. PMID: 26299793, PMCID: PMC4691384, PII: S1053-8119(15)00726-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.08.017, ISSN: 1095-9572.

Kelm ND, West KL, Carson RP, Gochberg DF, Ess KC, Does MD. Evaluation of diffusion kurtosis imaging in ex vivo hypomyelinated mouse brains. Neuroimage [print-electronic]. 2016 Jan 1/1/2016; 124(Pt A): 612-26. PMID: 26400013, PMCID: PMC4651761, PII: S1053-8119(15)00841-1, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.09.028, ISSN: 1095-9572.

Carson RP, Kelm ND, West KL, Does MD, Fu C, Weaver G, McBrier E, Parker B, Grier MD, Ess KC. Hypomyelination following deletion of Tsc2 in oligodendrocyte precursors. Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2015 Dec; 2(12): 1041-54. PMID: 26734657, PMCID: PMC4693589, PII: ACN3254, DOI: 10.1002/acn3.254, ISSN: 2328-9503.

West KL, Kelm ND, Carson RP, Does MD. Quantitative analysis of mouse corpus callosum from electron microscopy images. Data Brief. 2015 Dec; 5: 124-8. PMID: 26504893, PMCID: PMC4576400, PII: S2352-3409(15)00178-X, DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2015.08.022, ISSN: 2352-3409.

Grier MD, Carson RP, Lagrange AH. Of mothers and myelin: Aberrant myelination phenotypes in mouse model of Angelman syndrome are dependent on maternal and dietary influences. Behav Brain Res [print-electronic]. 2015 Sep 9/15/2015; 291: 260-7. PMID: 26028516, PMCID: PMC4496262, PII: S0166-4328(15)30012-7, DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.05.045, ISSN: 1872-7549.

Grier MD, Carson RP, Lagrange AH. Toward a Broader View of Ube3a in a Mouse Model of Angelman Syndrome: Expression in Brain, Spinal Cord, Sciatic Nerve and Glial Cells. PLoS One. 2015; 10(4): e0124649. PMID: 25894543, PMCID: PMC4403805, PII: PONE-D-15-02378, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124649, ISSN: 1932-6203.

Kim SH, Kowalski ML, Carson RP, Bridges LR, Ess KC. Heterozygous inactivation of tsc2 enhances tumorigenesis in p53 mutant zebrafish. Dis Model Mech [print-electronic]. 2013 Jul; 6(4): 925-33. PMID: 23580196, PMCID: PMC3701212, PII: dmm.011494, DOI: 10.1242/dmm.011494, ISSN: 1754-8411.

Kim SH, Scott SA, Bennett MJ, Carson RP, Fessel J, Brown HA, Ess KC. Multi-organ abnormalities and mTORC1 activation in zebrafish model of multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency. PLoS Genet [print-electronic]. 2013 Jun; 9(6): e1003563. PMID: 23785301, PMCID: PMC3681725, PII: PGENETICS-D-12-02748, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003563, ISSN: 1553-7404.

Carson RP, Fu C, Winzenburger P, Ess KC. Deletion of Rictor in neural progenitor cells reveals contributions of mTORC2 signaling to tuberous sclerosis complex. Hum Mol Genet [print-electronic]. 2013 Jan 1/1/2013; 22(1): 140-52. PMID: 23049074, PMCID: PMC3522403, PII: dds414, DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds414, ISSN: 1460-2083.

Armour EA, Carson RP, Ess KC. Cystogenesis and elongated primary cilia in Tsc1-deficient distal convoluted tubules. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol [print-electronic]. 2012 Aug 8/15/2012; 303(4): F584-92-F592. PMID: 22674026, PMCID: PMC3423116, PII: ajprenal.00141.2012, DOI: 10.1152/ajprenal.00141.2012, ISSN: 1522-1466.

Carson RP, Abou-Khalil BW. Density spectral array analysis of SREDA during EEG-video monitoring. Clin Neurophysiol [print-electronic]. 2012 Jun; 123(6): 1096-9. PMID: 22100860, PII: S1388-2457(11)00701-2, DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2011.10.002, ISSN: 1872-8952.

Carson RP, Van Nielen DL, Winzenburger PA, Ess KC. Neuronal and glia abnormalities in Tsc1-deficient forebrain and partial rescue by rapamycin. Neurobiol Dis [print-electronic]. 2012 Jan; 45(1): 369-80. PMID: 21907282, PMCID: PMC3225598, PII: S0969-9961(11)00290-7, DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2011.08.024, ISSN: 1095-953X.

Nickols HH, Chambless LB, Carson RP, Coffin CM, Pearson MM, Abel TW. Intramedullary spinal immature teratoma: resolution of quadriplegia following resection in a 4-week-old infant. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2010 Dec; 6(6): 586-91. PMID: 21121736, DOI: 10.3171/2010.9.PEDS1022, ISSN: 1933-0715.

Carson RP, Diedrich A, Robertson D. Autonomic control after blockade of the norepinephrine transporter: a model of orthostatic intolerance. J Appl Physiol (1985) [print-electronic]. 2002 Dec; 93(6): 2192-8. PMID: 12391111, PII: 00033.2002, DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00033.2002, ISSN: 8750-7587.

Carson RP, Robertson D. Genetic manipulation of noradrenergic neurons. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2002 May; 301(2): 410-7. PMID: 11961038, PII: S0022-3565(24)35623-X, DOI: 10.1124/jpet.301.2.410, ISSN: 0022-3565.

Carson RP, Appalsamy M, Diedrich A, Davis TL, Robertson D. Animal model of neuropathic tachycardia syndrome. Hypertension. 2001 Jun; 37(6): 1357-61. PMID: 11408377, DOI: 10.1161/01.hyp.37.6.1357, ISSN: 1524-4563.