Dr Goffredina Spano
Faculties, departments and locations
- Faculty of Business and Social Sciences
- Department of Psychology
- School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences
- Penrhyn Road
Senior Lecturer
- Email:
- [email protected]
About
I am a developmental cognitive neuropsychologist, and my research focuses on exploring the relationship between learning, memory, and sleep variability across the lifespan, with a particular emphasis on neurodevelopmental and memory disorders. In addition, my research program aims to develop and extend this foundational work into applied treatment contexts with the goal of enhancing cognitive and educational outcomes and promoting overall mental health.
I earned my Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Arizona in 2016. Following my doctoral studies, I worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at University College London (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology). I then joined Kingston University London as a Lecturer in October 2022.
Domains
Undergraduate courses taught
- Psychology BSc (Hons)
Postgraduate courses taught
- Behavioural Decision Science MSc
- Child Psychology MSc
- Psychology MSc
Articles
- Spanò, G., Pizzamiglio, G., McCormick C., Clark, I.A., De Felice, S., Miller, T.D., Edgin, J.O., Rosenthal, C.R., Maguire, E. A. (2020). Dreaming with hippocampal damage. eLife. 9. (doi: 10.7554/eLife.56211).
- Hill, E. A., Fairley, D. M., Williams, L. J., Spanò, G., Cooper, S-A., & Riha, R. L. (2020). Prospective trial of CPAP in community-dwelling adults with down syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Brain Sciences, 10(11). (doi: 10.3390/brainsci10110844).
- Spanò, G., Weber, F., Pizzamiglio, G., McCormick, C, Miller, T.D., Rosenthal, C.R., Edgin, J.O., Maguire, E. A. (2020). Sleeping with hippocampal damage. Current Biology, 30(3), 523-529.
- Edgin, J., Liu, Y., Hughes, K., Spanò, G., & Clark, C. (2019). The "eyes have it," but when in development?: The importance of a developmental perspective in our understanding of behavioral memory formation and the hippocampus. Hippocampus, 30(8), 815-828
- Spanò, G., Gómez, R.L., Demara, B.I., Alt, M., Cowen, S.L., & Edgin, J.O. (2018). REM sleep in naps differentially relates to memory consolidation in typical preschoolers and children with Down syndrome. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 115(46), 11844-11849.
- Spanò, G., Intraub, H., & Edgin, J.O. (2017). Testing the "boundaries" of boundary extension: Anticipatory scene representation across development and disorder. Hippocampus, 27(6), 726-739.
- Clark, C., Fernandez, F., Sakhon, S., Spanò, G., & Edgin, J.O. (2017). The medial temporal memory system in Down syndrome: Translating animal models of hippocampal compromise. Hippocampus, 27(6), 683-691.
- Fernandez, F., Nyhuis, C.C., Anand, P., Demara, B., Ruby, N.F., Spanò, G., Clark, C., & Edgin, J.O. (2017). Young children with Down syndrome show normal development of circadian rhythms, but poor sleep efficiency: A cross-sectional study across the first 60 months of life. Sleep Medicine, 33, 134-144.
- Edgin, O., Anand, P., Rosser, R., Pierpont , E., Figueroa, C., Hamilton, D., Huddleston, L., Mason, G. Spanò, G., Toole, T., Nguyen-Driver, M., Capone, G., Abbeduto, L., Maslen, C., Reeves, R., Sherman, S. (2017). The Arizona cognitive test battery for Down syndrome: Test-retest reliability and practice effects. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 122(3), 215-234.
- Spanò, G., & Edgin, J.O. (2016). Everyday memory in individuals with Down syndrome: Validation of the Observer Memory Questionnaire-Parent Form. Child Neuropsychology, 23(5), 523-535.
- Van Hoogmoed, A.H., Nadel L., Spanò, G., & Edgin J.O. (2016). ERP correlates of object memory across development: Do active and passive tasks measure the same thing? Neuropsychologia, 82, 39–53.
- Spanò, G., Peterson, M., Nadel, L., Rhoads, C. & Edgin, J.O. (2015). Seeing can be remembering: Interactions between memory and perception in typical and atypical development. Clinical Psychological Science, 4(2), 254-271.
- Edgin, J.O., Tooley, U. Demara, B., Nyhuis, C., Anand, P., & Spanò, G. (2015). Sleep disturbance and expressive language development in preschool-age children. Child Development, 86(6), 1984-1998.
- Mason, G.M., Spanò, G., & Edgin, J. (2015). Symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Down syndrome: Effects of the dopamine receptor D4 gene. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 120(1), 58-71.
- Edgin, J.O., Spanò, G., Kawa, K., & Nadel, L. (2014). Remembering things without context: Development matters. Child Development, 85(4), 1491-1502.
- +Breslin, J., +Spanò, G., Bootzin, R., Anand, P., Nadel, L., & Edgin, J. (2014). Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and cognition in Down syndrome. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 56(7), 657-664. +These authors contributed equally to the paper.
- Chen, C-C, Spanò, G., & Edgin, J.O. (2013). The impact of sleep disruption on executive function in Down syndrome research in developmental disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34(6), 2033- 2039.
- Edgin, J.O., Mason, G.M., Spanò, G., Fernández, A., & Nadel L. (2012). Human and mouse model cognitive phenotypes in Down syndrome: Implications for assessment. Progress in Brain Research, 197, 123- 151.
- Edgin, J.O., Kumar, A., Spanò, G., & Nadel. L. (2011). Neuropsychological effects of second language exposure in Down syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 55(3), 351-356.
- Lanfranchi, S., Carretti, B., Spanò, G., & Cornoldi, C. A (2009). Specific deficit in visuospatial simultaneous working memory in Down syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 53, 474-483.
Book publications
- Hughes, K., Kholsa, P., Pisani, L., Spanò, G., & Edgin, J.O. (in press). Sleeping to dream, develop, and resist decline: Down Syndrome as a life-span sleep disorder. To appear in J. Burack, J. Edgin, L. Abbeduto, & J. Busciglio, (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Down Syndrome and Development. Oxford University Press. New York, NY.
- Edgin, J., Spanò, G., & Nadel. L. (2011). Advances in clinical endpoints for neurocognitive rehabilitation in Down syndrome. In J.A. Rondal, J. Perera, L. & D. Spiker (Eds.), Neurocognitive Rehabilitation of Down Syndrome, The Early Years. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Specialisms
- Memory development
- Sleep
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
Publications
Sleep, mood, and binge eating: evidence from a student sample
Martinelli, Cristina and Spano, Goffredina, 2026, Eating Behaviors (61), Published
Prospective trial of CPAP in community-dwelling adults with Down Syndrome and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
Williams, Linda J, Spano, Goffredina, Cooper, Sally-Ann, Riha, Renata L, Hill, Elizabeth A and Fairley, Donna M, 2020, Brain Sciences (10), 11, Published
The ÔÇ£eyes have it,ÔÇØ but when in development?: The importance of a developmental perspective in our understanding of behavioral memory formation and the hippocampus
Edgin, Jamie O., Liu, Yating, Hughes, Katharine, Span├▓, Goffredina and Clark, Caron A. C., 2020, Hippocampus (30), 8pp 815-828, Published
Dreaming with hippocampal damage
Span├▓, Goffredina, Pizzamiglio, Gloria, McCormick, Cornelia, Clark, Ian A, De Felice, Sara, Miller, Thomas D, Edgin, Jamie O, Rosenthal, Clive R and Maguire, Eleanor A, 2020, eLife (9), Published
Sleeping with hippocampal damage
Miller, Thomas D., Rosenthal, Clive R., Edgin, Jamie O., Maguire, Eleanor A., Span├▓, Goffredina, Weber, Frederik D., Pizzamiglio, Gloria and McCormick, Cornelia, 2020, Current Biology (30), 3pp 523-529, Published
REM sleep in naps differentially relates to memory consolidation in typical preschoolers and children with Down syndrome
Spano, Goffredina, G├│mez, Rebecca L., Demara, Bianca I., Alt, Mary, Cowen, Stephen L. and Edgin, Jamie O., 2018, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (115), 46pp 11844-11849, Published
Testing the ÔÇ£BoundariesÔÇØ of boundary extension: anticipatory scene representation across development and disorder
Span├▓, G., Intraub, H. and Edgin, J. O., 2017, Hippocampus (27), 6pp 726-739, Published
The medial temporal memory system in Down syndrome: translating animal models of hippocampal compromise
Clark, Caron A.C., Fernandez, Fabian, Sakhon, Stella, Span├▓, Goffredina and Edgin, Jamie O., 2017, Hippocampus (27), 6pp 683-691, Published
The Arizona cognitive test battery for Down syndrome: test-retest reliability and practice effects
Edgin, Jamie O., Anand, Payal, Rosser, Tracie, Pierpont, Elizabeth I., Figueroa, Carlos, Hamilton, Debra, Huddleston, Lillie, Mason, Gina, Span├▓, Goffredina, Toole, Lisa, Nguyen-Driver, Mina, Capone, George, Abbeduto, Leonard, Maslen, Cheryl, Reeves, Roger H. and Sherman, Stephanie, 2017, American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (122), 3pp 215-234, Published
Young children with Down syndrome show normal development of circadian rhythms, but poor sleep efficiency: a cross-sectional study across the first 60 months of life
Anand, Payal, Demara, Bianca I., Ruby, Norman F., Spanò, Goffredina, Clark, Caron, Edgin, Jamie O., Fernandez, Fabian and Nyhuis, Casandra C., 2017, Sleep Medicine (33)pp 134-144, Published
Everyday memory in individuals with Down syndrome: validation of the Observer Memory Questionnaire - parent form
Span├▓, Goffredina and Edgin, Jamie Ogline, 2017, Child Neuropsychology (23), 5pp 523-535, Published
Seeing can be remembering: interactions between memory and perception in typical and atypical development
Spano, Goffredina, Peterson, Mary A., Nadel, Lynn, Rhoads, Candace and Edgin, Jamie Ogline, 2016, Clinical Psychological Science (4), 2pp 254-271, Published
ERP correlates of object recognition memory in Down syndrome: do active and passive tasks measure the same thing?
Van Hoogmoed, A.H., Nadel, L., Spano, G. and Edgin, J.O., 2016, Neuropsychologia (82)pp 39-53, Published
Sleep disturbance and expressive language development in preschool-age children With Down syndrome
Edgin, Jamie O., Tooley, Ursula, Demara, Bianca, Nyhuis, Casandra, Anand, Payal and Spano, Goffredina, 2015, Child Development (86), 6pp 1984-1998, Published
Symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Down syndrome: effects of the dopamine receptor D4 gene
Mason, Gina Marie, Span├│, Goffredina and Edgin, Jamie, 2015, American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (120), 1pp 58-71, Published
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and cognition in Down syndrome
Breslin, Jennifer, Span├▓, Goffredina, Bootzin, Richard, Anand, Payal, Nadel, Lynn and Edgin, Jamie, 2014, Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology (56), 7pp 657-664, Published
Remembering things without context: development matters
Edgin, Jamie O., Span├▓, Goffredina, Kawa, Kevin and Nadel, Lynn, 2014, Child Development (85), 4pp 1491-1502, Published
The impact of sleep disruption on executive function in Down syndrome
Chen, C.-C., Span├▓, G. and Edgin, J.O., 2013, Research in Developmental Disabilities (34), 6pp 2033-2039, Published
Neuropsychological effects of second language exposure in Down syndrome
Kumar, A., Edgin, J.O., Span├▓, G. and Nadel, L., 2011, Journal of Intellectual Disability Research (55), 3pp 351-356, Published
A specific deficit in visuospatial simultaneous working memory in Down syndrome
Lanfranchi, S., Carretti, B., Span├▓, G. and Cornoldi, C., 2009, Journal of Intellectual Disability Research (53), 5pp 474-483, Published
Sleeping to dream, develop, and resist decline: down syndrome and sleep across the lifespan
Hughes, Katherine, Khosla, Payal, Pisani, Lauren, Spano, Goffredina and Edgin, Jamie O. (2020). In: Burack, Jacob A., Edgin, Jamie O., Abbeduto, Leonardo, (eds.), New York, U.S.: Oxford University Presspp 443-468 [Published]
Human and mouse model cognitive phenotypes in Down syndrome
Edgin, Jamie O., Mason, Gina M., Spano, Goffredina, Fernández, Andrea and Nadel, Lynn (2012). In: Dierssen, Mara, De La Torre, Rafae, (eds.), Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevierpp 123-151 [Published]
Advances in clinical endpoints for neurocognitive rehabilitation in Down syndrome
Edgin, Jamie, Spanō, Goffredina and Nadel, Lynn (2011). In: Rondal, Jean-Adolphe, Perera, Juan, Spiker, Donna, (eds.)pp 36-51 [Published]