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Dr. George Capone is a research scientist at Kennedy Krieger Institute and is also Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Biographical Sketch:
Dr. Capone attended college at Wesleyan and worked as a research assistant at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston before obtaining his MD from the University of Connecticut in 1983. After a residency and fellowship in pediatrics at the Childrens Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Dr. Capone came to Baltimore in 1988 for a fellowship in neurobiology research at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Capone currently serves as the director of KKI’s Down Syndrome Clinic, and is an Attending Physician on KKI’s Neurobehavior Unit and Comprehensive Rehabilitation Unit.
Research Summary:
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs in approximately 1 in 800 live births. It is caused most often by an abnormality during cell division in gamete formation called nondysjunction. As a result, the fertilized egg will contain three copies of chromosome 21. The extra chromosome interferes with normal growth and development.
Dr. Capone and his colleagues are committed to research that explores the neurobiologic basis of cognitive impairment and co-morbid psychiatric disorders associated with Down syndrome, as well as the genetic basis of congenital heart disease. Research activities,"allow us to contribute to the body of knowledge already in existence and to keep up with new findings in the field. These activities help to increase our understanding of Down syndrome and have potential to produce new treatments".
One research study explores the link between children with both Down syndrome and autistic spectrum disorder ages 2 to 10 years. Another, drawing from a population of individuals ages 15 to 35 years of age, seeks to better understand the relationship between Down syndrome and neuropsychiatric disorders (i.e., depression, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, movement disorder and cognitive decline).
Finally, Dr. Capone is studying children with Down syndrome and Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). This study, drawing on a population of children ages 2 years and older will attempt to identify genetic and environmental factors related to the formation of AV canal defects.
Recent Publications/Presentations:
G. Capone, (2004) Down Syndrome: Chromosome 21, consequences for brain development and thoughts on early intervention. Infants and Young Children, 17(1):45-48.
G. Capone (2002) Down Syndrome and Autistic spectrum disorders In: Down Syndrome: Visions of the 21st Century (Eds. Cohen, W. Nadel, L. Madnick, M.) J. Wiley and Sons Publishers, New York
G. Capone, P. Kim, L. Payne, L. Freund, K. Welch, E. Miller and M. Trush (2002) Evidence for increased mitochondrial superoxide formation in Down syndrome. Life Sciences 70:1-11.
W. Kates, B. Folley, D. Lanham, G. Capone, WE. Kaufmann (2002) Cerebral growth in Fragile X syndrome: Review and comparison with Down syndrome. Microscopy Research and Technique, 57: 159-167.
T. Moran, G. Capone, S. Knipp, M. Davisson, R. Reeves and J. Gearhart (2002) The effects of piracetam on cognitive performance in a mouse model of Down's syndrome. Physiology and Behavior, 77:403-409.
Pinter JD, Brown WE, Eliez S, Schmitt JE, Capone GT and Reiss AL. 2001. Amygdala and hippocampal volumes in children with Down syndrome: A high resolution MRI study. Neurology 56: 972-974.
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