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| Project/Program/Clinic Contacts: | 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Research Programs | ||||||||||||||||
| Discipline(s): |
Psychiatry Genetics/Genetic Counseling Psychology |
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| AUCD Council Membership: |
No Council Membership |
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| Research: | Dr. Simon is a Professor in Residence. His focuses on the neural basis of cognitive impairments seen in genetic disorders that produce mental retardation, developmental disability and psychopathology. Building on his influential theory of the foundations of numerical competence, Dr. Simon investigates how dysfunction in specific neurocognitive processing systems, such as attention and spatial cognition, can generate a range of cognitive and behavioral impairments. His goal is to develop remedial intervention programs that will minimize such disability. Dr. Simon's current projects center on studies of visuospatial and numerical cognition in children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, also known as DiGeorge and VeloCardioFacial syndrome. He is also engaged in similar studies of children with fragile X, Klinefelter and Trisomy X syndromes. Besides cognitive processing analyses and psychometric testing, Dr. Simon uses cutting edge neuroimaging methods, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Voxel Based Morphometrics, and Diffusion Tensor Fiber Tracking in order to study the structure, function and connective patterns in the developing brain. | ||||||||||||||||
| Education: | B.A. Psychology, Lancashshire Polytechnic, UK, 1981
Ph.D. Developmental Psychology, Sheffield University, UK, 1985 | ||||||||||||||||
Vita/Bio
Dr. Simon is a pediatric cognitive neuroscientist. His research focuses on the interactions between neural, cognitive, affective and stress biology differences in young people with genetic disorders that produce learning difficulties, behavioral dysregulation and psychopathology. Dr. Simon has spent over a decade and a half investigating how dysfunction in specific neurocognitive processing systems, such as attention, and spatial or temporal processing generates cognitive impairments in thinking about space, time, numbers as was as real world challenges like math, using money and navigation. He has developed and is testing a digital neurotherapeutic intervention (in the form a video game) to minimize such disability. Dr. Simon's current main project is a National Institute of Mental Health funded longitudinal study on risk and protective factors for psychosis proneness in chromosome 22q11.2 deletion (Velocardiofacial/DiGeorge) syndrome based on the interaction of neurocognitive and affective processing and stress reactivity. Besides experimental cognitive processing analyses, Dr. Simon uses cutting edge neuroimaging methods, such as resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), Diffusion Tensor Fiber Tracking as well as Event-Related Potential (ERP) components of electrophysiological studies in order to study the structure, function and connective patterns in the developing brain.
