Melissa Marie Dixon
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Melissa Marie Dixon, PhD, MS

Languages spoken: English

Clinical Locations

Primary Location

Eccles Primary Children's Outpatient Services Building

Pediatric Behavioral Health Clinic
81 N Mario Capecchi Drive
Salt Lake City , UT 84113
801-662-5594
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Dr. Melissa "Missy" Dixon earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Utah, with practicum training in counseling and assessment (psychological and neuropsychological) at the George E. Wahlen Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She completed her clinical internship in counseling and neuropsychological assessment at Brigham Young University, followed by postdoctoral training in pediatric psychology at Primary Children’s Hospital. Currently, Dr. Dixon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, where she holds appointments in both the Division of Neurology and the Division of Behavioral Health.

Dr. Dixon’s clinical expertise focuses on providing mental health services to children with medically complex conditions, particularly neuromuscular disorders of pediatric onset. Her research centers on two key areas: understanding the cognitive and central nervous system (CNS) involvement in muscular dystrophies of both childhood and adult onset, and exploring the factors that influence quality of life in individuals with muscular dystrophy. By integrating neuropsychological assessments, neuroimaging techniques, and patient-reported outcomes, her work aims to advance knowledge of cognitive function while informing interventions to improve overall well-being. Dr. Dixon’s ongoing research includes two primary initiatives. The first involves assessing cognitive function and using neuroimaging in children with myotonic dystrophy to understand CNS involvement during critical developmental stages. The second focuses on identifying key determinants of quality of life in individuals with muscular dystrophy, examining the physical, neurobehavioral, and psychosocial factors that contribute to overall well-being. Her work is supported by multiple grants, and she regularly presents her findings at national and international conferences.

Specialties

Dr. Melissa "Missy" Dixon earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Utah, with practicum training in counseling and assessment (psychological and neuropsychological) at the George E. Wahlen Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She completed her clinical internship in counseling and neuropsychological assessment at Brigham Young University, followed by postdoctoral training in pediatric psychology at Primary Children’s Hospital. Currently, Dr. Dixon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, where she holds appointments in both the Division of Neurology and the Division of Behavioral Health.

Dr. Dixon’s clinical expertise focuses on providing mental health services to children with medically complex conditions, particularly neuromuscular disorders of pediatric onset. Her research centers on two key areas: understanding the cognitive and central nervous system (CNS) involvement in muscular dystrophies of both childhood and adult onset, and exploring the factors that influence quality of life in individuals with muscular dystrophy. By integrating neuropsychological assessments, neuroimaging techniques, and patient-reported outcomes, her work aims to advance knowledge of cognitive function while informing interventions to improve overall well-being. Dr. Dixon’s ongoing research includes two primary initiatives. The first involves assessing cognitive function and using neuroimaging in children with myotonic dystrophy to understand CNS involvement during critical developmental stages. The second focuses on identifying key determinants of quality of life in individuals with muscular dystrophy, examining the physical, neurobehavioral, and psychosocial factors that contribute to overall well-being. Her work is supported by multiple grants, and she regularly presents her findings at national and international conferences.

Board Certification and Academic Information

Academic Departments Pediatrics -Assistant Professor
Academic Divisions Neurology

Education history

Undergraduate Psychology, Biology - Regis University B.S.
Graduate Training Educational Psychology: Professional Counseling - University of Utah M.S.
Doctoral Training Educational Psychology: Counseling Psychology - University of Utah Ph.D.
Internship Counseling Psychology - Brigham Young University Intern
Fellowship Cognitive function in neuromuscular disease - University of Utah Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Postdoctoral Training Child Psychology - Primary Children's Hospital Postdoctoral Training

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Bernstein, P. S., Tammur, J., Singh, N., Hutchinson, A., Dixon, M., Pappas, et al. (2001). Diverse Macular Dystrophy Phenotype Caused by a Novel Complex Mutation in the ELOVL4 Gene. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 42(13), 3331-3336.
  2. Berggren KN, Hung M, Dixon MM, Bounsanga J, Crockett B, Foye MD, Gu Y, Campbell C, Butterfield RJ, Johnson NE (2018). Orofacial strength, dysarthria, and dysphagia in congenital myotonic dystrophy. Muscle Nerve, 58(3), 413-417.
  3. The International HapMap Consortiu (2003). The International HapMap Project. Nature, 426(6968), 789-796.
  4. The International HapMap Consortiu (2005). A haplotype map of the human genome. Nature, 437(7063), 1299-1320.
  5. Dixon, M. M., Reyes, C. J., Leppert, M. F., & Pappas, L. M (2008). Personality and birth order in large families. Personality and individual differences, 44(1), 119-128.
  6. Cawthon RM, Meeks HD, Sasani TA, Smith KR, Kerber RA, O'Brien E, Baird L, Dixon MM, Peiffer AP, Leppert MF, Quinlan AR, Jorde L (2020). Germline mutation rates in young adults predict longevity and reproductive lifespan. Scientific reports, 10(1), 10001.
  7. The International HapMap Consortiu (2004). Integrating ethics and science in the International HapMap Project. Nature reviews. Genetics, 5(6), 467-475.
  8. Pucillo EM, Mcintyre MM, Pautler M, Hung M, Bounsanga J, Voss MW, Hayes H, Dibella DL, Trujillo C, Dixon M, Butterfield RJ, Johnson N (2018). Modified dynamic gait index and limits of stability in myotonic dystrophy type 1. Muscle & nerve, 58(5), 694-699.
  9. Hayes HA, Dibella D, Crockett R, Dixon M, Butterfield RJ, Johnson N (2018). Stepping Activity in Children With Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy. Pediatric physical therapy, 30(4), 335-339.
  10. Johnson NE, Butterfield R, Berggren K, Hung M, Chen W, DiBella D, Dixon M, Hayes H, Pucillo E, Bounsanga J, Heatwole C, Campbell (2016). Disease burden and functional outcomes in congenital myotonic dystrophy: A cross-sectional study. Neurology, 87(2), 160-7.
  11. Pucillo EM, Dibella DL, Hung M, Bounsanga J, Crockett B, Dixon M, Butterfield RJ, Campbell C, Johnson N (2017). Physical function and mobility in children with congenital myotonic dystrophy. Muscle & nerve, 56(2), 224-229.
  12. Singh NA, Pappas C, Dahle EJ, Claes LR, Pruess TH, De Jonghe P, Thompson J, Dixon M, Gurnett C, Peiffer A, White HS, Filloux F, Leppert M (2009). A role of SCN9A in human epilepsies, as a cause of febrile seizures and as a potential modifier of Dravet syndrome. PLoS genetics, 5(9), e1000649.
  13. Sabeti PC, Varilly P, Fry B, Lohmueller J, Hostetter E, Cotsapas C, Xie X, Byrne EH, McCarroll SA, Gaudet R, Schaffner SF, Lander ES, International HapMap Consortium, Frazer KA, Ballinger DG, Cox DR, Hinds DA, Stuve LL, Gibbs RA, Belmont JW, Boudreau A, Hardenbol P, Leal SM, Pasternak S, Wheeler DA, Willis TD, Yu F, Yang H, Zeng C, Gao Y, Hu H, Hu W, Li C, Lin W, Liu S, Pan H, Tang X, Wang J, Wang W, Yu J, Zhang B, Zhang Q, Zhao H, Zhao H, Zhou J, Gabriel SB, Barry R, Blumenstiel B, Camargo A, Defelice M, Faggart M, Goyette M, Gupta S, Moore J, Nguyen H, Onofrio RC, Parkin M, Roy J, Stahl E, Winchester E, Ziaugra L, Altshuler D, Shen Y, Yao Z, Huang W, Chu X, He Y, Jin L, Liu Y, Shen Y, Sun W, Wang H, Wang Y, Wang Y, Xiong X, Xu L, Waye MM, Tsui SK, Xue H, Wong JT, Galver LM, Fan JB, Gunderson K, Murray SS, Oliphant AR, Chee MS, Montpetit A, Chagnon F, Ferretti V, Leboeuf M, Olivier JF, Phillips MS, Roumy S, Sallée C, Verner A, Hudson TJ, Kwok PY, Cai D, Koboldt DC, Miller RD, Pawlikowska L, Taillon-Miller P, Xiao M, Tsui LC, Mak W, Song YQ, Tam PK, Nakamura Y, Kawaguchi T, Kitamoto T, Morizono T, Nagashima A, Ohnishi Y, Sekine A, Tanaka T, Tsunoda T, Deloukas P, Bird CP, Delgado M, Dermitzakis ET, Gwilliam R, Hunt S, Morrison J, Powell D, Stranger BE, Whittaker P, Bentley DR, Daly MJ, de Bakker PI, Barrett J, Chretien YR, Maller J, McCarroll S, Patterson N, Pe'er I, Price A, Purcell S, Richter DJ, Sabeti P, Saxena R, Schaffner SF, Sham PC, Varilly P, Altshuler D, Stein LD, Krishnan L, Smith AV, Tello-Ruiz MK, Thorisson GA, Chakravarti A, Chen PE, Cutler DJ, Kashuk CS, Lin S, Abecasis GR, Guan W, Li Y, Munro HM, Qin ZS, Thomas DJ, McVean G, Auton A, Bottolo L, Cardin N, Eyheramendy S, Freeman C, Marchini J, Myers S, Spencer C, Stephens M, Donnelly P, Cardon LR, Clarke G, Evans DM, Morris AP, Weir BS, Tsunoda T, Johnson TA, Mullikin JC, Sherry ST, Feolo M, Skol A, Zhang H, Zeng C, Zhao H, Matsuda I, Fukushima Y, Macer DR, Suda E, Rotimi CN, Adebamowo CA, Ajayi I, Aniagwu T, Marshall PA, Nkwodimmah C, Royal CD, Leppert MF, Dixon M, Peiffer A, Qiu R, Kent A, Kato K, Niikawa N, Adewole IF, Knoppers BM, Foster MW, Clayton EW, Watkin J, Gibbs RA, Belmont JW, Muzny D, Nazareth L, Sodergren E, Weinstock GM, Wheeler DA, Yakub I, Gabriel SB, Onofrio RC, Richter DJ, Ziaugra L, Birren BW, Daly MJ, Altshuler D, Wilson RK, Fulton LL, Rogers J, Burton J, Carter NP, Clee CM, Griffiths M, Jones MC, McLay K, Plumb RW, Ross MT, Sims SK, Willey DL, Chen Z, Han H, Kang L, Godbout M, Wallenburg JC, L'Archevêque P, Bellemare G, Saeki K, Wang H, An D, Fu H, Li Q, Wang Z, Wang R, Holden AL, Brooks LD, McEwen JE, Guyer MS, Wang VO, Peterson JL, Shi M, Spiegel J, Sung LM, Zacharia LF, Collins FS, Kennedy K, Jamieson R, Stewart (2007). Genome-wide detection and characterization of positive selection in human populations. Nature, 449(7164), 913-8.
  14. International HapMap Consortium, Frazer KA, Ballinger DG, Cox DR, Hinds DA, Stuve LL, Gibbs RA, Belmont JW, Boudreau A, Hardenbol P, Leal SM, Pasternak S, Wheeler DA, Willis TD, Yu F, Yang H, Zeng C, Gao Y, Hu H, Hu W, Li C, Lin W, Liu S, Pan H, Tang X, Wang J, Wang W, Yu J, Zhang B, Zhang Q, Zhao H, Zhao H, Zhou J, Gabriel SB, Barry R, Blumenstiel B, Camargo A, Defelice M, Faggart M, Goyette M, Gupta S, Moore J, Nguyen H, Onofrio RC, Parkin M, Roy J, Stahl E, Winchester E, Ziaugra L, Altshuler D, Shen Y, Yao Z, Huang W, Chu X, He Y, Jin L, Liu Y, Shen Y, Sun W, Wang H, Wang Y, Wang Y, Xiong X, Xu L, Waye MM, Tsui SK, Xue H, Wong JT, Galver LM, Fan JB, Gunderson K, Murray SS, Oliphant AR, Chee MS, Montpetit A, Chagnon F, Ferretti V, Leboeuf M, Olivier JF, Phillips MS, Roumy S, Sallée C, Verner A, Hudson TJ, Kwok PY, Cai D, Koboldt DC, Miller RD, Pawlikowska L, Taillon-Miller P, Xiao M, Tsui LC, Mak W, Song YQ, Tam PK, Nakamura Y, Kawaguchi T, Kitamoto T, Morizono T, Nagashima A, Ohnishi Y, Sekine A, Tanaka T, Tsunoda T, Deloukas P, Bird CP, Delgado M, Dermitzakis ET, Gwilliam R, Hunt S, Morrison J, Powell D, Stranger BE, Whittaker P, Bentley DR, Daly MJ, de Bakker PI, Barrett J, Chretien YR, Maller J, McCarroll S, Patterson N, Pe'er I, Price A, Purcell S, Richter DJ, Sabeti P, Saxena R, Schaffner SF, Sham PC, Varilly P, Altshuler D, Stein LD, Krishnan L, Smith AV, Tello-Ruiz MK, Thorisson GA, Chakravarti A, Chen PE, Cutler DJ, Kashuk CS, Lin S, Abecasis GR, Guan W, Li Y, Munro HM, Qin ZS, Thomas DJ, McVean G, Auton A, Bottolo L, Cardin N, Eyheramendy S, Freeman C, Marchini J, Myers S, Spencer C, Stephens M, Donnelly P, Cardon LR, Clarke G, Evans DM, Morris AP, Weir BS, Tsunoda T, Mullikin JC, Sherry ST, Feolo M, Skol A, Zhang H, Zeng C, Zhao H, Matsuda I, Fukushima Y, Macer DR, Suda E, Rotimi CN, Adebamowo CA, Ajayi I, Aniagwu T, Marshall PA, Nkwodimmah C, Royal CD, Leppert MF, Dixon M, Peiffer A, Qiu R, Kent A, Kato K, Niikawa N, Adewole IF, Knoppers BM, Foster MW, Clayton EW, Watkin J, Gibbs RA, Belmont JW, Muzny D, Nazareth L, Sodergren E, Weinstock GM, Wheeler DA, Yakub I, Gabriel SB, Onofrio RC, Richter DJ, Ziaugra L, Birren BW, Daly MJ, Altshuler D, Wilson RK, Fulton LL, Rogers J, Burton J, Carter NP, Clee CM, Griffiths M, Jones MC, McLay K, Plumb RW, Ross MT, Sims SK, Willey DL, Chen Z, Han H, Kang L, Godbout M, Wallenburg JC, L'Archevêque P, Bellemare G, Saeki K, Wang H, An D, Fu H, Li Q, Wang Z, Wang R, Holden AL, Brooks LD, McEwen JE, Guyer MS, Wang VO, Peterson JL, Shi M, Spiegel J, Sung LM, Zacharia LF, Collins FS, Kennedy K, Jamieson R, Stewart (2007). A second generation human haplotype map of over 3.1 million SNPs. Nature, 449(7164), 851-61.
  15. Rotimi C, Leppert M, Matsuda I, Zeng C, Zhang H, Adebamowo C, Ajayi I, Aniagwu T, Dixon M, Fukushima Y, Macer D, Marshall P, Nkwodimmah C, Peiffer A, Royal C, Suda E, Zhao H, Wang VO, McEwen J, International HapMap Consortiu (2007). Community engagement and informed consent in the International HapMap project. Community genetics, 10(3), 186-98.
  16. Patel N, Berggren KN, Hung M, Bates K, Dixon MM, Bax K, Adams H, Butterfield RJ, Campbell C, Johnson N (2024). Neurobehavioral Phenotype of Children With Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy. Neurology, 102(5), e208115.

Book

  1. Dixon MM, Galais B, Reynolds B, & Sheldon R (2024). Myotonic Dystrophy and Mental Health Handbook .

Other

  1. Dixon, M.M (2016). Trichotillomania: A Journey of Personal Empowerment: A Qualitative Study of Women Who Engage in Chronic Hair Pulling. University of Utah, ID197730.