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Bio:
Dykens' research identifies the neurobehavioral and developmental phenotypes of persons with genetic mental retardation syndromes, including Prader-Willi, Williams, Down, 5p-, fragile X, and Smith-Magenis syndromes. Some of Dykens work examines behavioral similarities and differences across syndromes, and these findings help refine the phenotype associated with each disorder. Yet most of Dykens research focuses on individual differences within syndromes, and addresses the question of why people with the same disorder vary in their phenotypic expression. Dykens is thus examining genetic, psychosocial and developmental sources of individual differences within syndromes. Examples of key findings over the last year are seen in Prader-Willi and Williams syndromes. In Prader-Willi syndrome, Dykens identified lower IQs and increased maladaptive behavior and compulsivity in persons with paternally derived deletions on chromosome 15 (q11-q13) relative to those with maternal uni-parental disomy. These findings have implications for the understanding of genomic imprinting. In people with Williams syndrome, Dykens identified remarkably high rates of anxiety, fears and specific phobias, even as compared to others with developmental delay. Dykens is also further specifying the visual-spatial deficits that characterize Williams syndrome, with findings pointing to increased variability in visual-spatial functioning than has previously been appreciated. It remains unclear how these psychiatric or visual-spatial data relate to the Williams syndrome critical region on chromosome 7, or to recent neuroimaging findings in this disorder.
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