Christy Ling Hom

Picture of Christy Ling Hom
Associate Clinical Professor, Psychiatry & Human Behavior
School of Medicine
Ph.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2002, Clinical Psychology
M.A., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1998, Clinical Psychology
B.A., University of California, Los Angeles, 1994, Psychology
Phone: (714) 456-5902
Fax: (714) 456-5112
Email: homc@uci.edu
University of California, Irvine
101 The City Dr. South
Route 88
Orange, CA 92868
Research Interests
Down Syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease, Intellectual Disabilities
Short Biography
Dr. Christy Hom is a board certified pediatric neuropsychologist. She completed her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a post-doctoral fellowship in health psychology at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. She was trained in Applied Behavioral Analysis at the Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University. She was the Associate Director of the UC Irvine Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Clinic from 2007-2015. She is currently the chief neuropsychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and the Associate Director of the Center For Aging Research in Down Syndrome. She has been involved in multiple NIH-funded research studies including the Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers Consortium in Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) as well studies that examine the effects of multisensory stimulation on cognition among children with autism spectrum disorder, childhood maltreatment and depression, and the normal aging process in healthy adults. Dr. Hom’s clinical services include the assessment and treatment of autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and neurological conditions. Dr. Hom's forensic services include the assessment of individuals with developmental disabilities who have experienced psychological, physical, or medical trauma and the assessment of children and adults who have suffered traumatic brain injuries.
Publications
Gorjala, P., Aslam, M.M., Dang, L.T., Xicota, M.V.F., Yun, J.S., Fan, K.H., Feingold, E., Surace, E.I., Chhatwal, J.P., Hom, C.L., Hartley, S., Hassenstab, J., Perrin, R.J., Mapstone, M., Zaman, S.H., Ances, B.M., Kamboh, M.I., Lee, J.H., and Cruchaga, C. (2023). Alzheimer's polygenic risk scores are associated with cognitive phenotypes in Down syndrome. Alzheimer's Dementia, 1-12. doi.org/10.1002/alz.13506
Hartley, S.L., Fleming, V., Schworer, E.K., Peven, J., Handen, B.L., Krinsky-McHale, S., Hom, C., Lee, L., Tudorascu, D.L., Laymon, C., Minhas, D., Luo, W,, Cohen A, Zaman S, Ances BM, Mapstone M, Head E, Lai F, Rosas HD, Klunk W, Christian, B.; Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium-Down Syndrome (2023). Timing of Alzheimer's Disease by Intellectual Disability Level in Down Syndrome. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 95(1), 213-225. doi: 10.3233/JAD-230200
Quedar, N., Phelan, M., Taylor, L., Tustison, N., Doran, E., Hom, C., Nguyen, D., Lai, F.,...Alzheimer's Biomarkers Consortium (2022). Joint-label fusion brain atlases for dementia research in Down syndrome. Alzheimers Dementia, 14(1): e12324. doi: 10.1002/dad2.12324
Fleming, V., Hom, C.L., Clare, I.C.H. Hurd-Thomas, S., Krinsky-McHale, S., Handen, B., and Hartley, S.L. (2022). Cognitive outcome measures for tracking Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome. International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities, 62, 227-263. doi: 10.1016/bs.irrdd.2022.05.006
Hom, C.L., Kirby, K.A., Ricks-Oddie, J., Keator, D.B., Krinsky-McHale, S.J., Pulsifer, M.B., Rosas, H.D., Lai, F., Schupf, N., Lott, I.T., and Silverman, W. (2021). Cognitive function during the prodromal stage of Alzheimer’s Disease in Down Syndrome: Comparing Models. Brain Sciences, 11, 1220. https:// doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11091220. PMCID: PMC8471085
Harp, J.P., Koehl, L.M., Van Pelt, K.L., Hom, C.L., Doran, E., Head, E., Lott, I.T., & Schmitt, F.A. (2021). Cognitive and Behavioral Domains That Reliably Differentiate Normal Aging and Dementia in Down Syndrome. Brain Sciences, 11, 1128. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11091128. PMCID: PMC8468129
Hom, C. L., Walsh, D., Fernandez, G., Tournay, A., Touchette, P., and Lott, I.T. (2021). Cognitive assessment using the Rapid Assessment for Developmental Disabilities, Second Edition (RADD-2). Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 65, 831-848. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12863
Silverman, W. S., Krinsky-McHale, S. J., Lai, F., Rosas, H. D., Hom, C., Doran, E., Pulsifer, M., Lott, I., and Schupf, N. (2020). Evaluation of the National Task Group-Early Detection Screen for Dementia: Sensitivity to 'mild cognitive impairment' in adults with Down syndrome. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 34, 905-915. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12849
Keator, D. B., Doran, E., Taylor, L., Phelan, M. J., Hom, C., Tseung, K., van Erp, T. G. M., Potkin, S. G., Brickman, A. M., Rosas, D. H., Yassa, M. A., Silverman, W., and Lott, I. T. (2020). Brain Amyloid and the Transition to Dementia in Down Syndrome. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, 12:e12126. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12126
Rosas, H. D., Hsu, E., Mercaldo, N., Lai, F., Pulsifer, M., Keator, D., Brickman, A. M., Price, J., Yassa, M., Hom, C., Krinsky-McHale, S. J., Silverman, W., Lott, I., and Schupf, N. (2020). Alzheimer-related altered white matter microstructural integrity in Down syndrome: a model for sporadic AD? Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, 12:e12040. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12040
Pulsifer, M. B., Evans, C. S., Hom, C., Krinsky-McHale, S. J., Silverman, W., Lai, F., Lott, I., Schupf, N., Wen, J., and Rosas, H.D. (2020). Language skills as a predictor of cognitive decline in adults with Down syndrome. Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, 12:e12080. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12080
Keator, D.B., Phelan, M.J.,Taylor, L., Doran, E., Krinsky-McHale, S., Price, J., Ballard, E. E., Kreisl, W. C., Hom, C., Nguyen, D., Pulsifer, M., Lai, F., Rosas, D. H., Brickman, A. M., Schupf, N., Yassa, M. A., Silverman, W., and Lott, I.T. (2020). Down syndrome: Distribution of brain amyloid in mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimer’s Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease, 12:e12013. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.12013.
Hom, C. L., Nguyen, V., Fernandez, G., Touchette, P., Tournay, A., Plon, L, Lott, I. T., and Himber, P. (2015). The Relationship Between Living Arrangement and Adherence to Antiepileptic Medications Among Individuals with Developmental Disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities Research, 59, 48-54. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12123.
Saha, S., Doran, E., Osann, D., Hom, C. L., Movsesyan, N., Rosa, D. D., Tournay, A., and Lott, I. T. (2014). Self-concept in Children with Down Syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 164, 1891-1899. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.a.36597.
Grants
Mindora Totoui (PI), Christy Hom (Co-I), and Mark Mapstone (Co-I): Alzheimer’s Disease Blood Biomarkers in Children and Adolescents with Down Syndrome. Supported by Children's Hospital of Orange County Pediatrics Specialty Faculty Research Fund and Neuroscience Fund.
Ben Handen (PI), Bradley Christenson (PI), Elizabeth Head (PI), Mark Mapstone (PI), and Christy Hom (Co-I): The Alzheimer’s Biomarker Consortium – Down Syndrome (ABC-DS). Supported by National Institutes of Health/ National Institute on Aging - 1U19 AG068054-01.
Ira T. Lott (PI), Elizabeth Head (PI), Eric Doran (Co-I), Christy Hom (Co-I), and Dana Nguyen (Co-I). The Down Syndrome – Clinical Trials Network Study of Alzheimer’s Disease in Down Syndrome. Supported by LuMIND
Ben Handen (PI), Christy Hom (Co-I), Bradley Christensen (Co-I), H. Diana Rosas (Co-I), Beau Ances (Co-I), and Joseph Lee (PI): ABC-DS Supplement (Modification of Maternal Alzheimer Disease risk in Down Syndrome). Supported by National Institute on Aging - U19AG068054-03S1.
Sigan Hartley (PI), Ben Handen (Co-I), Beau Ances (Co-I), and Christy Hom (Co-I). Lifestyle Risk and Resiliency Factors and Alzheimer’s Disease in Down syndrome. Supported by National Institute on Aging - R01AG070028.
Professional Societies
National Academy of Neuropsychology
American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology
American Psychological Association
Trisomy 21 Research Society
International Neuropsychological Society
Cultural Neuropsychology Council
Asian Neuropsychology Association
Alzheimer's Association ISTAART
Other Experience
Fluent in Mandarin and Taiwanese

Research Centers
Center for Aging Research in Down Syndrome
Last updated
10/19/2023