Vita/Bio:
Autumn 2009 - Behavioral Neuroscience - PSY 313 - MWF 2:30-3:48 - Required of all Psychology majors. This course covers how the brain and nervous system come into play when you are going about your daily activities such as learning, remembering, eating, and feeling a variety of emotions. You will about the development of the nervous sytem, how neurons communicate with one another, and how mental illness, psychotropic medications, and neurological disorders affect the brain. Winter 2010 - Behavioral Neuroscience - PSY 313 - MW 5:30-7:30pm - This course is now required for all Psychology majors. See course description above. Spring 2010 - Dr. Martens is conducting research this quarter and will not be teaching classes. Education 2005 - Ph.D. in Psychology, Emphasis in Neuropsychology, University of Melbourne, AustraliaDoctoral Dissertation: Williams Syndrome: Links Between Brain, Cognition, and Behavior 1983 - Ed.S. in School Psychology, University of Michigan 1983 - M.A. in Psychology, University of Michigan 1981 - B.A. in Psychology, Graceland University Links Willams Syndrome Association Williams Syndrome Program-Nisonger Center American Psychological Association Professional Experience 2007-presentAssistant Professor of Psychology, OSU-NewarkTeaching undergraduate psychology courses in General Psychology, Health Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, and Developmental Disabilities; conducting research studies among individuals with Williams syndrome; director of the Williams Syndrome Clinic in Columbus, OH. 2005-2007Research Specialist at Nisonger Center, OSU-ColumbusConducting research on organ transplantation among individuals with intellectual disabilities; supervising students in psychological assessment; developing the Williams Syndrome Program. 1995-1999School Psychologist in New Albany, INAdministering psychoeducational evaluations for students K-12 with learning, behavioral, or emotional difficulties; facilitating multidisciplinary teams, providing individual and group counseling. 1984-1995School Psychologist in Blaine, MNConducting psychoeducational evaluations for students K-8 with learning, behavioral, or emotional difficulties; training facilitators to lead group counseling; providing group therapy for children and adolescents dealing with issues of grief, anger management, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Research My research interests involve studying individuals with Williams syndrome, which is a genetic disorder which causes cognitive delay, a hypersociable personality, relative strengths in language and music, and significant delays in visuospatial and math abilities. My Ph.D. research involved comprehensive psychological testing and structural MRI imaging of individuals with Williams syndrome (and controls) and investigating the relationship between the cognitive, behavioral, and neuroanatomical features of this syndrome. My current research efforts are intervention based, such as investigating whether music can be used to enhance learning among these individuals. I am collaborating with a researcher in Cincinnati who is conducting fMRI and language studies and am also working with OSU researchers on two separate studies: How children with Williams syndrome use gestures to accompany their language and how math and spatial estimation skills develop in individuals with Williams syndrome. A list of my current publications and presentations follows: Selected Publications:Martens, M.A. (2010, in press). Developmental and cognitive troubles in Williams syndrome. In Handbook of Neuropaediatric Disorders (Eds. Aminoff, M.J., Boller, F., & Swaab, D.F.), Elsevier Publishers. Martens, M.A., Wilson, S.J., Dudgeon, P., & Reutens, D.C. (2009). Approachability and the amygdala: Insights from Williams syndrome. Neuropsychologia, 47(12), 2446-2453. Martens, M.A., Wilson, S.J., & Reutens, D.C. (2008). Williams syndrome: A Critical Review of the Cognitive, Behavioral, and Neuroanatomical Phenotype. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49(6), 576-608. Martens, M.A., Jones, L., & Reiss, S. (2006). Organ transplantation, organ donation, and mental retardation. Pediatric Transplantation, 10, 658-664. Martens, M.A., Jones, L., & Reiss, S. (2006). Transplante de órganos, donación de órganos y discapacidad mental. Revista Síndrome de Down, 23(3), 96-103. Martens, M.A., Wilson, S.J., & Reutens, D.C. (2004). Amygdala volume and sociability in Williams syndrome and normal controls. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 10, 162. Publications under review or manuscripts in preparation: Martens, M.A., Reutens, D.C., & Wilson, S.J. Musical ability and auditory cortical volumes in Williams syndrome. (Under review) Martens, M.A., Wilson, S.J., & Reutens, D.C. Handedness and corpus callosal morphology in Williams syndrome. (Under review) Martens, M.A. & Bormann, J. Severe Neurologic, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal complications in a patient with a typical deletion for Williams syndrome. (Manuscript in preparation) Martens, M.A., Jungers, M., & Steele, L. Does music enhance memory in individuals with Williams syndrome? (Manuscript in preparation) Martens, M.A. & Opfer, J. Number line estimation skills in Williams syndrome. (Manuscript in preparation) Robison, M., Martens, M.A., Goodman, C., & Whitelaw, G. Hearing and sound tolerance in Williams syndrome. (Manuscript in preparation) Selected Presentations: Martens, M.A. (2008, November). The amygdala and approachability: Insights from Williams syndrome. Invited PhD Honors Lecture at the Universidade de Minho in Braga, Portugal. Martens, M.A. (2008, July). Cognitive and behavioral profile of Australian individuals with Williams syndrome. Poster presentation at the International Professional Conference on Williams Syndrome, Garden Grove, CA. Martens, M.A. (2008, July). Amygdala volume and sociability in Williams syndrome and normal controls. Poster presentation at the International Professional Conference on Williams Syndrome, Garden Grove, CA. Martens, M.A. (2007, November). Exploring the mental health needs of individuals with Williams syndrome. Presentation at the Ohio State 5th Annual MH/MR Conference, Columbus, OH. Martens, M.A. (2007, March). Effective strategies for reducing problem behaviors and increasing positive behavior among children with intellectual disabilities. Inservice given to the MR/DD Starlight School, Zanesville, OH. Martens, M.A., & Hammer, D. (2006, November). Interpreting test results in special education evaluations. Presentation given to the Ohio Legal Services Association, Columbus, OH. Martens, M.A. (2006, 2007, October). Psychosocial aspects of mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Presentation given to Leadership Education Excellence in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) trainees, Columbus, OH. Martens, M.A. (2006, September). Neurobiology of Williams syndrome: Insights from brain imaging. Presentation given to the MR/DD Research Forum, Columbus, OH. Martens, M.A. (2006, March). Williams syndrome: Links between the brain, musicality, and sociability. Presentation given to the MR/DD Research Forum, Columbus, OH. Martens, M.A. (2004, August). Williams syndrome: A beautiful mystery. Featured on "60 Minutes", Australia. Martens, M.A. (2004, May). Links between brain structure, musicality, and sociability in Williams syndrome. Presentation at the Williams Syndrome Information Day, Melbourne, Australia. Martens, M.A. (2004, May). Musicality and neuroanatomy in Williams syndrome. Presentation at the Musicality, Auditory Cognition, and Mind forum, Melbourne, Australia. Martens, M.A.(2004, February). The amygdala and the development of sociability: Insights from Williams syndrome: Presentation at the International Neuropsychological Society Conference, Baltimore, MD. Martens, M.A. (2003, August). Analysis of phenotypes in Williams syndrome. Presentation at the Genetics/Physiological Genomics Workshop, Melbourne, Australia. Martens, M.A. (2002, September). Williams syndrome. Poster presentation at the Austin Hospital Research Week, Heidelberg, Australia.
