Douglas W. Scharre, M.D., C.M.D. Douglas W. Scharre is Director, Division of Cognitive Neurology; Medical Director, Memory Disorders and Neurobehavior Clinics; Medical Director, Forest Hills Center for Alzheimer's and Related Disorders; Medical Director, Memory Disorders Clinic at the Riverside John J. Gerlach Center for Senior Health; Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Neurology, Ohio State University.

Biographical Sketch

Growing up in California, Dr. Scharre received his BS (cum laude) in physics and also biology (double major) from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1978, his MS in physiology and biophysics in 1979 and his MD in 1983 both from Georgetown University. He completed his internship in internal medicine at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas in 1984, his residency in neurology at Letterman Army Medical Center, San Francisco, California in 1987, and his neurobehavior fellowship at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1993. Dr. Scharre is board certified in Neurology since 1990 and has been a Certified Medical Director (CMD) since 1999. He has been on the faculty in the Department of Neurology at Ohio State University since 1993.

Research

Dr. Scharre's research involves disorders of higher cognitive function and behavior. His main interest is in understanding the pathogenesis and management of degenerative dementias including Alzheimer's disease. He is the medical director of a large memory disorders clinic and conducts clinical research in dementia and mild cognitive impairment. He is actively involved with a number of industry and investigator initiated clinical trials evaluating the latest treatments for Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Other clinical research activities involve neuroimaging and functional neuroimaging in dementia, aging, and other cognitive disorders. He has authored several papers describing his research in the treatment of behavioral disorders in dementia. He has developed the 4-Turn Test to help predict when Alzheimer's disease patients should stop driving. He has developed the practical SAGE screening test for detection of mild cognitive impairment and early dementia. He is the director of the brain and cerebrospinal fluid tissue banks at Ohio State University used by many investigators in their research to better understand the pathophysiology of the degenerative dementias and to help develop potential new treatments.

Clinical Interests

neurobehavior; Alzheimer's Disease; dementia

Honors

Research Awards
Monitor's Choice for best site in the E2020-A001-302 Study 1995 from Eisai America Inc.
National Research Service Award: Funded by the National 1991-1993 Institute of Aging (NIA)

Teaching Award
CME Faculty Award of Excellence from The Ohio State 1995 University Center for Continuing Medical Education

Publications (Selected)

Scharre DW, Mahler ME: Parkinson's Disease: Diagnosis and Management. Geriatrics 49:14-23, 1994.

Munroe WA, Southwick PC, Chang L, Scharre DW, Echols CL Jr, Fu PC, Whaley JM, Wolfert RL: Tau protein in cerebrospinal fluid as an aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science 25:207-217, 1995

Mega MS, Masterman DL, Benson DF, Vinters HV, Tomiyasu U, Craig AH, Foti DJ, Kaufer D, Scharre DW, Fairbanks L, Cummings JL: Dementia with Lewy bodies: Reliability and validity of clinical and pathologic criteria. Neurology 47:1403-1409, 1996

Scharre DW, Johnson RH, Wu X, Pozderac RV, Olsen JO: SPECT imaging in fronto-temporal degeneration: anatomical correlations with apathy and disinhibition. Neurology 46:A178, 1996.

Scharre DW, Kirmani JF, Davis RA, Mauger L, Kantor BS: Driving performance in Alzheimer's disease is predicted by easily administered cognitive tasks. Neurology 54(suppl 3):A207, 2000

Scharre DW: Neuropsychiatric Aspects of Neoplastic, Demyelinating, Infectious, and Inflammatory Diseases of the Brain. In Coffey E and Cummings JL (Eds.): American Psychiatric Press Textbook of Geriatric Neuropsychiatry, Second Edition. Washington, D.C., American Psychiatric Press Inc., 2000

Scharre DW, Chang S-I: Quetiapine Improves Psychosis and Aggression With Minimal Cognitive Effect in Alzheimer's Disease Outpatients. Alzheimer's Disease and Associated Disorders 2002;16:128-130

Whitaker CD, Scharre DW, Beversdorf DQ, Pavlicova M, Chaudhury AR, Dashner RA, Smith MA, Perry G, Chakeres DW, Schmalbrock P: Hahn, CPMG, and combined analysis of T2 relaxation in the Alzheimer's hippocampus using a mixed effects model. International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2003

Klatte ET, Scharre DW, Nagaraja HD, Davis RA, Beversdorf DQ: Combination therapy of donepezil and vitamin E in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's Disease and Associated Disorders 2003;17:113-116

Scharre DW, Davis RA, Warner JL, Chang S-I, Beversdorf DQ: A pilot open trial of citalopram for restless activity and aberrant motor behaviors in Alzheimer's disease. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2003;11:687-691

Scharre DW: Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease. In Lynn DJ, Newton HB, Rae-Grant AD (Eds.): The 5-Minute Neurology Consult. Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004:152-153

Contact

461 Means Hall
1654 Upham Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43210

Phone: 614-293-8531
Fax: 614-293-6111

e-mail: scharre.1@osu.edu