Christine Wu Nordahl, Ph.D. for UC Davis Health

Christine Wu Nordahl, Ph.D.

Director, Autism Phenome Project

Beneto Foundation Endowed Chair, MIND Institute

Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Reviews

Specialties

Autism

Neuroimaging

Locations and Contact

UC Davis MIND Institute

UC Davis MIND Institute
2825 50th St.
Sacramento, CA 95817

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Clinical Interests

Dr. Christine Nordahl's clinical interests are aimed at understanding how the brain develops during early childhood in both development and in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. She utilizes structural and functional MRI to study the developing brain.

Research/Academic Interests

Christine Wu Nordahl's research program utilizes neuroimaging to study brain development in autism across the life span. She directs the UC Davis MIND Institute Autism Phenome Project (APP) and Girls with Autism - Imaging of Neurodevelopment (GAIN Study), two interrelated longitudinal, interdisciplinary studies aimed at identifying clinically meaningful subtypes of autism. She is particularly committed to evaluating the entire autism spectrum, including girls with autism as well as the entire range of autism severity and intellectual abilities.

Division

Neuroscience Researchers

Center/Program Affiliation

UC Davis MIND Institute

Undergraduate School

B.S., Biological Sciences, Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 1996

Other School

Ph.D., Neuroscience, UC Davis, Davis CA 2004

Fellowship

Postdoctoral Research, UC Davis Medical Center/MIND Institute, Sacramento CA 2004-2010

UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development, 2017, 2018

K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, National Institute of Mental Health, 2009, 2010, 2011

Trainee, National Institute of Mental Health, UC Davis, MIND Institute - Autism Research Training Program (T32), 2006, 2007, 2008

Pre-Doctoral National Research Service Award, National Institute of Mental Health, 2002, 2003, 2004

Northern California Alzheimer's Association Student Excellence Award, 2002

Click here for the full list of Nordahl Lab publications.

Lee JK, Cho ACB, Andrews DS, Ozonoff S, Rogers SJ, Amaral DG, Solomon M, Nordahl CW. Default mode and fronto-parietal network associations with IQ development across childhood in autism. J Neurodev Disord. 2022 Sep 15;14(1):51. doi:10.1186/s11689-022-09460-y. PMID:36109700.

Yarger HA, Nordahl CW, Redcay E. Examining Associations Between Amygdala Volumes and Anxiety Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2022 Sep;7(9):916-924. doi:10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.10.010. Epub 2021 Oct 21. Erratum in: Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2022 Feb 22;: PMID:34688922.

Zielinski BA, Andrews DS, Lee JK, Solomon M, Rogers SJ, Heath B, Nordahl CW, Amaral DG. Sex-dependent structure of socioemotional salience, executive control, and default mode networks in preschool-aged children with autism. Neuroimage. 2022 Aug 15;257:119252. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119252. Epub 2022 Apr 30. PMID:35500808.

Lee JK, Andrews DS, Ozturk A, Solomon M, Rogers S, Amaral DG, Nordahl CW. Altered Development of Amygdala-Connected Brain Regions in Males and Females with Autism. J Neurosci. 2022 Aug 3;42(31):6145-6155. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0053-22.2022. Epub 2022 Jun 27. PMID:35760533.

Amaral DG, Nordahl CW. Amygdala Involvement in Autism: Early Postnatal Changes, But What Are the Behavioral Consequences? Am J Psychiatry. 2022 Aug;179(8):522-524. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.20220509. PMID:35921392.

Davis K, Iosif AM, Nordahl CW, Solomon M, Krug MK. Correction: Video Game Use, Aggression, and Social Impairment in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Jul 29. doi:10.1007/s10803-022-05694-w. Epub ahead of print. Erratum for: J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Jul 12;: PMID:35904651.

Davis K, Iosif AM, Nordahl CW, Solomon M, Krug MK. Video Game Use, Aggression, and Social Impairment in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Jul 12. doi:10.1007/s10803-022-05649-1. Epub ahead of print. Erratum in: J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Jul 29;: PMID:35821547.

Andrews DS, Aksman L, Kerns CM, Lee JK, Winder-Patel BM, Harvey DJ, Waizbard-Bartov E, Heath B, Solomon M, Rogers SJ, Altmann A, Nordahl CW, Amaral DG. Association of Amygdala Development With Different Forms of Anxiety in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2022 Jun 1;91(11):977-987. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.01.016. Epub 2022 Feb 2. PMID:35341582.

Andrews DS, Aksman L, Kerns CM, Lee JK, Winder-Patel BM, Harvey DJ, Waizbard-Bartov E, Heath B, Solomon M, Rogers SJ, Altmann A, Nordahl CW, Amaral DG. Association of Amygdala Development With Different Forms of Anxiety in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2022 Jun 1;91(11):977-987. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.01.016. Epub 2022 Feb 2. PMID:35341582.