Overview
Dr. Gordon Worley specializes in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, a sub-specialty of Pediatrics focusing on the management of the medical problems of children with physical disabilities. The principal diagnoses he treats are cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and Down syndrome. HIs research pertains to clinical problems of children with these conditions. Current research interests include genetic factors influencing outcomes of Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants using analyses of a large data set; comparison of outcomes of prenatal (in utero) surgery vs postnatal for lesion closure in meningomyelocele using the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry; Down Syndrome Disintegrative Disorder; and associations of ADHD with high risk sexual behaviors using analyses of a large data set.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics
·
2017 - Present
Pediatrics, Neurology,
Pediatrics
Recent Publications
Sequencing Analysis Demonstrates That a Complex Genetic Architecture Contributes to Risk for Spina Bifida.
Journal Article Birth Defects Res · October 2025 BACKGROUND: Spina bifida (SB), a common neural tube defects (NTDs), has a complex genetic architecture that remains incompletely understood. Although prior studies have identified rare, deleterious single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in SB, broader contribut ... Full text Link to item CiteA Systematic Review of Race or Ethnicity and Risk of Death in Spina Bifida in the United States.
Journal Article J Child Neurol · August 2025 ObjectiveWe performed a systematic review of studies of mortality risk in spina bifida by race or ethnicity to determine if risks were relatively greater in Black or in Hispanic people with spina bifida than in White people in most studies.MethodsWe includ ... Full text Link to item CiteNeuroimaging abnormalities associated with immunotherapy responsiveness in Down syndrome regression disorder.
Journal Article Ann Clin Transl Neurol · April 2024 OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of neuroimaging abnormalities in individuals with Down syndrome regression disorder (DSRD) and evaluate if neuroimaging abnormalities were predictive of therapeutic responses. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective, ca ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
National Spina Bifida Patient Registry - Duke Clinic Demonstration Project
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · 2011 - 2014View All Grants
Education, Training & Certifications
Harvard University ·
1973
M.D.
Dartmouth College ·
1971
B.M.S.
University of Wisconsin, Madison ·
1969
B.A.