Patricia Martin Rodier, Ph.D.

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Dr. Rodier's special interest is in how early injuries to the nervous system are expressed in later form and function. She has studied the effects of such teratogens as antimitotic drugs, anesthetics, methylmercury, methylazoxymethanol, and ethanol. In recent years, she has devoted her efforts to trying to understand the genetic and environmental causes of the autism spectrum disorders. She developed an animal model of environmentally induced autism, using exposure to valproic acid at the time of neural tube closure. This is now the model most widely used to investigate the neurobiology of autism. With colleagues at Rochester and several other sites, her team has demonstrated many parallels between human cases and the animal model in both neuroanatomy and behavior. She also has investigated genetic susceptibility factors, gene expression after exposure to teratogens, and interactions between genotypes and response to environmental exposures.

Current Appointments

• Professor - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (SMD)

Education
PhD Psychology, All Other	University of Virginia	1970
MA Psychology, All Other	University of Virginia	1969
BA Psychology	Sweet Briar College	1966

Recent Journal Articles
Showing the 5 most recent journal articles. (25 available)
Brune,CW; Korvatska, E; Cook, EH; Dawson, G; Devlin, B; Estes, A; Hennelly, SL; McMahon, WM; Munson, J; Rodier, PM; Schellenberg, GD; Stodgell, CJ; Coon, H. "Heterogeneous Association between Engrailed-2 and Autism in the CPEA Network". Neuropsychiatric Genetics 147B (2008): 187-193.
Stanton, ME; Peloso, E; Brown, KL; Rodier, PM. "Discrimination learning and reversal of the conditioned eyeblink reflex in a rodent model of autism". Behav Brain Res 176 (2007): 133-140.
The Autism Genome Project Consortium (Patricia M. Rodier member). "Mapping autism risk loci using genetic linkage and chromosomal rearrangements". Nature Genetics 39 (2007): 319-328.
Stodgell CJ; Ingram JL; OBara M; Tisdale BK; Nau H; Rodier PM. "Induction of the homeotic gene Hoxa1 through valproic acids teratogenic mechanism of action." Neurobehav Toxicol Teratol 28 (2006): 617-624.
Hyman, SL; Arndt, TL; Rodier, PM. "Environmental Agents and Autism: Once and Future Associations". International Review of Research in Mental Retardation 30 (2006): 171-194.