Elysa Marco, MD
Research Affiliate
Cio
Chancellor/EVC/FAS

Dr. Marco also has an active neuroscience collaboration at UCSF that focuses on understanding and finding treatments for individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Her research is based on a thorough cognition and sensory evaluation of each child combined with innovative functional imaging to better understand how children's brains process sound, touch, and visual information. Her current research involves individuals with autism disorders, sensory processing disorders, neuroanatomic disorders (such as agenesis of the corpus callosum) and specific genetic disorders (such as 16p11.2 copy number variations.) In addition, she is an active collaborator with investigators studying the effects of autism on maternal health and the neural underpinnings of Tourette's Syndrome. Dr. Marco's lab is also combining structural and functional brain imaging with computer-based training interventions to determine if computer games can help children resist distracting information and improve visual motor planning. The overarching goal of Dr. Marco's research is to use basic science findings to create beneficial treatments for children.

Dr. Marco received her BA in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and then obtained her MD at the University of California, San Francisco. She continued her residency training at UCSF in pediatrics, neurology, and child neurology. In addition, she completed a cognitive and behavioral fellowship with an emphasis on the genetics of cognitive impairment. She was on the UCSF faculty from 2005-2019 and continues as an active clinician, researcher, and educator at Cortica Healthcare.

• Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging of white matter microstructure in sensory processing dysfunction with versus without comorbid ADHD.
  Frontiers in neuroscience 2023 Mark IT, Wren-Jarvis J, Xiao J, Cai LT, Parekh S, Bourla I, Lazerwitz MC, Rowe MA, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P
• Quantifying attention span across the lifespan.
  Frontiers in Cognition 2023 Simon AJ, Gallen CL, Ziegler DA, Mishra J, Marco EJ, Anguera JA, Gazzaley A
• Jansen-de Vries syndrome: Expansion of the PPM1D clinical and phenotypic spectrum in 34 families.
  American journal of medical genetics. Part A 2023 Wojcik MH, Srivastava S, Agrawal PB, Balci TB, Callewaert B, Calvo PL, Carli D, Caudle M, Colaiacovo S, Cross L, Demetriou K, Drazba K, Dutra-Clarke M, Edwards M, Genetti CA, Grange DK, Hickey SE, …
• Hemispheric lateralization of white matter microstructure in children and its potential role in sensory processing dysfunction.
  Frontiers in neuroscience 2023 Parekh SA, Wren-Jarvis J, Lazerwitz M, Rowe MA, Powers R, Bourla I, Cai LT, Chu R, Trimarchi K, Garcia R, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P
• Examining the Latent Structure and Correlates of Sensory Reactivity in Autism: A Multi-site Integrative Data Analysis by the Autism Sensory Research Consortium.
  Research square 2023 Williams ZJ, Schaaf R, Ausderau KK, Baranek GT, Barrett DJ, Cascio CJ, Dumont RL, Eyoh EE, Failla MD, Feldman JI, Foss-Feig JH, Green HL, Green SA, He JL, Kaplan-Kahn EA, Keçeli-Kaysili B, MacLennan K…
• Erratum: Variants in PHF8 cause a spectrum of X-linked neurodevelopmental disorders and facial dysmorphology.
  HGG advances 2022 Sobering AK, Bryant LM, Li D, McGaughran J, Maystadt I, Moortgat S, Graham JM, van Haeringen A, Ruivenkamp C, Cuperus R, Vogt J, Morton J, Brasch-Andersen C, Steenhof M, Hansen LK, Adler É, Lyonnet S,…
• Brief Report: Characterization of Sensory Over-Responsivity in a Broad Neurodevelopmental Concern Cohort Using the Sensory Processing Three Dimensions (SP3D) Assessment.
  Journal of autism and developmental disorders 2022 Lazerwitz MC, Rowe MA, Trimarchi KJ, Garcia RD, Chu R, Steele MC, Parekh S, Wren-Jarvis J, Bourla I, Mark I, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P
• Clinical Characteristics of Seizures and Epilepsy in Individuals With Recurrent Deletions and Duplications in the 16p11.2 Region.
  Neurology. Genetics 2022 Moufawad El Achkar C, Rosen A, Kessler SK, Steinman KJ, Spence SJ, Ramocki M, Marco EJ, Green Snyder L, Spiro JE, Chung WK, Annapurna P, Sherr EH
• Variants in PHF8 cause a spectrum of X-linked neurodevelopmental disorders and facial dysmorphology.
  HGG advances 2022 Sobering AK, Bryant LM, Li D, McGaughran J, Maystadt I, Moortgat S, Graham JM, van Haeringen A, Ruivenkamp C, Cuperus R, Vogt J, Morton J, Brasch-Andersen C, Steenhof M, Hansen LK, Adler É, Lyonnet S,…
• Enhancing neural markers of attention in children with ADHD using a digital therapeutic.
  PloS one 2021 Gallen CL, Anguera JA, Gerdes MR, Simon AJ, Cañadas E, Marco EJ
• Semaphorin-Plexin Signaling: From Axonal Guidance to a New X-Linked Intellectual Disability Syndrome.
  Pediatric neurology 2021 Steele JL, Morrow MM, Sarnat HB, Alkhunaizi E, Brandt T, Chitayat DA, DeFilippo CP, Douglas GV, Dubbs HA, Elloumi HZ, Glassford MR, Hannibal MC, Héron B, Kim LE, Marco EJ, Mignot C, Monaghan KG, Myers…
• Pathogenic MAST3 Variants in the STK Domain Are Associated with Epilepsy.
  Annals of neurology 2021 Spinelli E, Christensen KR, Bryant E, Schneider A, Rakotomamonjy J, Muir AM, Giannelli J, Littlejohn RO, Roeder ER, Schmidt B, Wilson WG, Marco EJ, Iwama K, Kumada S, Pisano T, Barba C, Vetro A, …
• Editorial: Sensory Processing Across the Lifespan: A 25-Year Initiative to Understand Neurophysiology, Behaviors, and Treatment Effectiveness for Sensory Processing.
  Frontiers in integrative neuroscience 2021 Miller LJ, Marco EJ, Chu RC, Camarata S
• Sustained benefits of cognitive training in children with inattention, three-year follow-up.
  PloS one 2021 Jurigova BG, Gerdes MR, Anguera JA, Marco EJ
• Altered Cerebellar White Matter in Sensory Processing Dysfunction Is Associated With Impaired Multisensory Integration and Attention.
  Frontiers in psychology 2021 Narayan A, Rowe MA, Palacios EM, Wren-Jarvis J, Bourla I, Gerdes M, Brandes-Aitken A, Desai SS, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P
• Expansion of NEUROD2 phenotypes to include developmental delay without seizures.
  American journal of medical genetics. Part A 2021 Mis EK, Sega AG, Signer RH, Cartwright T, Ji W, Martinez-Agosto JA, Nelson SF, Palmer CGS, Lee H, Mitzelfelt T, Konstantino M, Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Jeffries L, Khokha MK, Marco E, Martin MG, …
• Mutations of the Transcriptional Corepressor ZMYM2 Cause Syndromic Urinary Tract Malformations.
  American journal of human genetics 2020 Connaughton DM, Dai R, Owen DJ, Marquez J, Mann N, Graham-Paquin AL, Nakayama M, Coyaud E, Laurent EMN, St-Germain JR, Blok LS, Vino A, Klämbt V, Deutsch K, Wu CW, Kolvenbach CM, Kause F, Ottlewski I,…
• Heteromeric Assembly of Truncated Neuronal Kv7 Channels: Implications for Neurologic Disease and Pharmacotherapy.
  Molecular pharmacology 2020 Li J, Maghera J, Lamothe SM, Marco EJ, Kurata HT
• Pathogenic variants in TNRC6B cause a genetic disorder characterised by developmental delay/intellectual disability and a spectrum of neurobehavioural phenotypes including autism and ADHD.
  Journal of medical genetics 2020 Granadillo JL, P A Stegmann A, Guo H, Xia K, Angle B, Bontempo K, Ranells JD, Newkirk P, Costin C, Viront J, Stumpel CT, Sinnema M, Panis B, Pfundt R, Krapels IPC, Klaassens M, Nicolai J, Li J, Jiang …
• Haploinsufficiency of the Notch Ligand DLL1 Causes Variable Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
  American journal of human genetics 2019 Fischer-Zirnsak B, Segebrecht L, Schubach M, Charles P, Alderman E, Brown K, Cadieux-Dion M, Cartwright T, Chen Y, Costin C, Fehr S, Fitzgerald KM, Fleming E, Foss K, Ha T, Hildebrand G, Horn D, Liu S…
• Diffusion tensor tractography in children with sensory processing disorder: Potentials for devising machine learning classifiers.
  NeuroImage. Clinical 2019 Payabvash S, Palacios EM, Owen JP, Wang MB, Tavassoli T, Gerdes M, Brandes-Aitken A, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P
• Brief Report: Pilot Study of a Novel Interactive Digital Treatment to Improve Cognitive Control in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Co-occurring ADHD Symptoms.
  Journal of autism and developmental disorders 2019 Yerys BE, Bertollo JR, Kenworthy L, Dawson G, Marco EJ, Schultz RT, Sikich L
• De novo and biallelic DEAF1 variants cause a phenotypic spectrum.
  Genetics in medicine : official journal of the American College of Medical Genetics 2019 Nabais Sá MJ, Jensik PJ, McGee SR, Parker MJ, Lahiri N, McNeil EP, Kroes HY, Hagerman RJ, Harrison RE, Montgomery T, Splitt M, Palmer EE, Sachdev RK, Mefford HC, Scott AA, Martinez-Agosto JA, Lorenz R…
• White Matter Connectome Correlates of Auditory Over-Responsivity: Edge Density Imaging and Machine-Learning Classifiers.
  Frontiers in integrative neuroscience 2019 Payabvash S, Palacios EM, Owen JP, Wang MB, Tavassoli T, Gerdes M, Brandes-Aitken A, Mukherjee P, Marco EJ
• White Matter Connectome Edge Density in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Potential Imaging Biomarkers Using Machine-Learning Models.
  Brain connectivity 2019 Payabvash S, Palacios EM, Owen JP, Wang MB, Tavassoli T, Gerdes M, Brandes-Aitken A, Cuneo D, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P
• Sensory over-responsivity: parent report, direct assessment measures, and neural architecture.
  Molecular autism 2019 Tavassoli T, Brandes-Aitken A, Chu R, Porter L, Schoen S, Miller LJ, Gerdes MR, Owen J, Mukherjee P, Marco EJ
• White Matter Microstructure Associations of Cognitive and Visuomotor Control in Children: A Sensory Processing Perspective.
  Frontiers in integrative neuroscience 2019 Brandes-Aitken A, Anguera JA, Chang YS, Demopoulos C, Owen JP, Gazzaley A, Mukherjee P, Marco EJ
• Burden of de novo mutations and inherited rare single nucleotide variants in children with sensory processing dysfunction.
  BMC medical genomics 2018 Marco EJ, Aitken AB, Nair VP, da Gente G, Gerdes MR, Bologlu L, Thomas S, Sherr EH
• Abnormal age-related cortical folding and neurite morphology in children with developmental dyslexia.
  NeuroImage. Clinical 2018 Caverzasi E, Mandelli ML, Hoeft F, Watson C, Meyer M, Allen IE, Papinutto N, Wang C, Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott CAM, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P, Miller ZA, Miller BL, Hendren R, Shapiro KA, Gorno-Tempini ML
• Characterizing cognitive and visuomotor control in children with sensory processing dysfunction and autism spectrum disorders.
  Neuropsychology 2018 Brandes-Aitken A, Anguera JA, Rolle CE, Desai SS, Demopoulos C, Skinner SN, Gazzaley A, Marco EJ
• ARHGEF9 disease: Phenotype clarification and genotype-phenotype correlation.
  Neurology. Genetics 2017 Alber M, Kalscheuer VM, Marco E, Sherr E, Lesca G, Till M, Gradek G, Wiesener A, Korenke C, Mercier S, Becker F, Yamamoto T, Scherer SW, Marshall CR, Walker S, Dutta UR, Dalal AB, Suckow V, Jamali P, …
• Magnetoencephalographic Imaging of Auditory and Somatosensory Cortical Responses in Children with Autism and Sensory Processing Dysfunction.
  Frontiers in human neuroscience 2017 Demopoulos C, Yu N, Tripp J, Mota N, Brandes-Aitken AN, Desai SS, Hill SS, Antovich AD, Harris J, Honma S, Mizuiri D, Nagarajan SS, Marco EJ
• A pilot study to determine the feasibility of enhancing cognitive abilities in children with sensory processing dysfunction.
  PloS one 2017 Anguera JA, Brandes-Aitken AN, Antovich AD, Rolle CE, Desai SS, Marco EJ
• GRIN2B encephalopathy: novel findings on phenotype, variant clustering, functional consequences and treatment aspects.
  Journal of medical genetics 2017 Platzer K, Yuan H, Schütz H, Winschel A, Chen W, Hu C, Kusumoto H, Heyne HO, Helbig KL, Tang S, Willing MC, Tinkle BT, Adams DJ, Depienne C, Keren B, Mignot C, Frengen E, Strømme P, Biskup S, Döcker D…
• De Novo Truncating Mutations in the Last and Penultimate Exons of PPM1D Cause an Intellectual Disability Syndrome.
  American journal of human genetics 2017 Jansen S, Geuer S, Pfundt R, Brough R, Ghongane P, Herkert JC, Marco EJ, Willemsen MH, Kleefstra T, Hannibal M, Shieh JT, Lynch SA, Flinter F, FitzPatrick DR, Gardham A, Bernhard B, Ragge N, Newbury-…
• Chronic stress is associated with reduced circulating hematopoietic progenitor cell number: A maternal caregiving model.
  Brain, behavior, and immunity 2016 Aschbacher K, Milush JM, Gilbert A, Almeida C, Sinclair E, Epling L, Grenon SM, Marco EJ, Puterman E, Epel E
• 16p11.2 deletion and duplication: Characterizing neurologic phenotypes in a large clinically ascertained cohort.
  American journal of medical genetics. Part A 2016 Steinman KJ, Spence SJ, Ramocki MB, Proud MB, Kessler SK, Marco EJ, Green Snyder L, D'Angelo D, Chen Q, Chung WK, Sherr EH, Simons VIP Consortium
• Reciprocal white matter alterations due to 16p11.2 chromosomal deletions versus duplications.
  Human brain mapping 2016 Chang YS, Owen JP, Pojman NJ, Thieu T, Bukshpun P, Wakahiro ML, Marco EJ, Berman JI, Spiro JE, Chung WK, Buckner RL, Roberts TP, Nagarajan SS, Sherr EH, Mukherjee P
• The Contribution of the Corpus Callosum to Language Lateralization.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2016 Hinkley LB, Marco EJ, Brown EG, Bukshpun P, Gold J, Hill S, Findlay AM, Jeremy RJ, Wakahiro ML, Barkovich AJ, Mukherjee P, Sherr EH, Nagarajan SS
• White Matter Microstructure is Associated with Auditory and Tactile Processing in Children with and without Sensory Processing Disorder.
  Frontiers in neuroanatomy 2016 Chang YS, Gratiot M, Owen JP, Brandes-Aitken A, Desai SS, Hill SS, Arnett AB, Harris J, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P
• Shared and Divergent Auditory and Tactile Processing in Children with Autism and Children with Sensory Processing Dysfunction Relative to Typically Developing Peers.
  Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS 2015 Demopoulos C, Brandes-Aitken AN, Desai SS, Hill SS, Antovich AD, Harris J, Marco EJ
• Tourette Syndrome: Complementary Insights from Measures of Cognitive Control, Eyeblink Rate, and Pupil Diameter.
  Frontiers in psychiatry 2015 Tharp JA, Wendelken C, Mathews CA, Marco EJ, Schreier H, Bunge SA
• Improving the Dermatologic Care of Individuals with Autism: A Review of Relevant Issues and a Perspective.
  Pediatric dermatology 2015 Oza VS, Marco E, Frieden IJ
• Individuals with agenesis of the corpus callosum show sensory processing differences as measured by the sensory profile.
  Neuropsychology 2014 Demopoulos C, Arroyo MS, Dunn W, Strominger Z, Sherr EH, Marco E
• Autism and sensory processing disorders: shared white matter disruption in sensory pathways but divergent connectivity in social-emotional pathways.
  PloS one 2014 Chang YS, Owen JP, Desai SS, Hill SS, Arnett AB, Harris J, Marco EJ, Mukherjee P
• Aberrant white matter microstructure in children with 16p11.2 deletions.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2014 Owen JP, Chang YS, Pojman NJ, Bukshpun P, Wakahiro ML, Marco EJ, Berman JI, Spiro JE, Chung WK, Buckner RL, Roberts TP, Nagarajan SS, Sherr EH, Mukherjee P, Simons VIP Consortium
• Autism traits in the RASopathies.
  Journal of medical genetics 2013 Adviento B, Corbin IL, Widjaja F, Desachy G, Enrique N, Rosser T, Risi S, Marco EJ, Hendren RL, Bearden CE, Rauen KA, Weiss LA
• Abnormal white matter microstructure in children with sensory processing disorders.
  NeuroImage. Clinical 2013 Owen JP, Marco EJ, Desai S, Fourie E, Harris J, Hill SS, Arnett AB, Mukherjee P
• Autism traits in individuals with agenesis of the corpus callosum.
  Journal of autism and developmental disorders 2013 Lau YC, Hinkley LB, Bukshpun P, Strominger ZA, Wakahiro ML, Baron-Cohen S, Allison C, Auyeung B, Jeremy RJ, Nagarajan SS, Sherr EH, Marco EJ
• Children with autism show reduced somatosensory response: an MEG study.
  Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research 2012 Marco EJ, Khatibi K, Hill SS, Siegel B, Arroyo MS, Dowling AF, Neuhaus JM, Sherr EH, Hinkley LN, Nagarajan SS
• The role of corpus callosum development in functional connectivity and cognitive processing.
  PloS one 2012 Hinkley LB, Marco EJ, Findlay AM, Honma S, Jeremy RJ, Strominger Z, Bukshpun P, Wakahiro M, Brown WS, Paul LK, Barkovich AJ, Mukherjee P, Nagarajan SS, Sherr EH
• Processing speed delays contribute to executive function deficits in individuals with agenesis of the corpus callosum.
  Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS 2012 Marco EJ, Harrell KM, Brown WS, Hill SS, Jeremy RJ, Kramer JH, Sherr EH, Paul LK
• Sensory processing in autism: a review of neurophysiologic findings.
  Pediatric research 2011 Marco EJ, Hinkley LB, Hill SS, Nagarajan SS
• Acute necrotizing encephalopathy in 3 brothers.
  Pediatrics 2010 Marco EJ, Anderson JE, Neilson DE, Strober JB
• Infection-triggered familial or recurrent cases of acute necrotizing encephalopathy caused by mutations in a component of the nuclear pore, RANBP2.
  American journal of human genetics 2009 Neilson DE, Adams MD, Orr CM, Schelling DK, Eiben RM, Kerr DS, Anderson J, Bassuk AG, Bye AM, Childs AM, Clarke A, Crow YJ, Di Rocco M, Dohna-Schwake C, Dueckers G, Fasano AE, Gika AD, Gionnis D, …
• Congenital lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection: spectrum of disease.
  Annals of neurology 2007 Bonthius DJ, Wright R, Tseng B, Barton L, Marco E, Karacay B, Larsen PD
• CEP290 mutations are frequently identified in the oculo-renal form of Joubert syndrome-related disorders.
  American journal of human genetics 2007 Brancati F, Barrano G, Silhavy JL, Marsh SE, Travaglini L, Bielas SL, Amorini M, Zablocka D, Kayserili H, Al-Gazali L, Bertini E, Boltshauser E, D'Hooghe M, Fazzi E, Fenerci EY, Hennekam RC, Kiss A, …
• Autism-lessons from the X chromosome.
  Social cognitive and affective neuroscience 2006 Marco EJ, Skuse DH
• Case report: Y;6 translocation with deletion of 6p.
  Clinical dysmorphology 2005 Klein OD, Backstrand K, Cotter PD, Marco E, Sherr E, Slavotinek A
• Infant botulism, type F, presenting at 54 hours of life.
  Pediatric neurology 2005 Keet CA, Fox CK, Margeta M, Marco E, Shane AL, Dearmond SJ, Strober JB, Miller SP
• Incomplete Brown-Séquard syndrome after methamphetamine injection into the neck.
  Neurology 2003 Hwang W, Ralph J, Marco E, Hemphill JC
• Predictive model for pain recurrence after posterior fossa surgery for trigeminal neuralgia.
  Archives of neurology 2002 Theodosopoulos PV, Marco E, Applebury C, Lamborn KR, Wilson CB
• Double-blind antiglucocorticoid treatment in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: a pilot study.
  The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry 2002 Marco EJ, Wolkowitz OM, Vinogradov S, Poole JH, Lichtmacher J, Reus VI