Ruth O'hara
Academic Appointments
- Associate Professor (Research), Psychiatry & Behavioral Science - Stanford/VA Aging Clinical Research Center
Key Documents
Contact Information
- Academic Offices
Personal Information Email Tel (650) 796-2720 Tel (650) 825-3287
Professional Overview
Postdoctoral Advisees
Victoria Cosgrove, Anda Gershon, Deborah Nazarian, Tetyana Obukhanych, Blake Scanlon, Suzan Song, Keith Sudheimer, Jill Waring, Huaiyu Yang
Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations
Scientific Focus
Current Research Interests
Dr. OHaras research aims to identify the physiological markers of neurocognitive impairment in a broad range of late-life disorders, including Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimers disease (AD), Late-Life Depression, and Late-Life Anxiety disorders. Using neuroimaging and genetic approaches to investigating the impact of psychological and physiological stress, and more recently sleep disorders, her research aims to: (1) more fully characterize the genetic risk factors and physiological mechanisms underlying normal and pathological cognitive impairment; (2) assist with early identification of those at greatest risk for cognitive decline, and dementia; (3) increase our understanding of the role of cognitive impairment in exacerbating late-life psychiatric disorders; and (4) develop interventions aimed at reducing this impairment.
Publications
- 5-HTTLPR Short Allele, Resilience, and Successful Aging in Older Adults. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012
- The Abbreviated Fuld Object Memory Evaluation Improves Detection of Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Not Dementia in Caucasian and African American, but not in Latino, Older Adults. J Alzheimers Dis. 2012
- Circadian clock gene polymorphisms and sleep-wake disturbance in Alzheimer disease. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2011; (7): 635-43
- Design considerations for characterizing psychiatric trajectories across the lifespan: application to effects of APOE-ε4 on cerebral cortical thickness in Alzheimer's disease. Am J Psychiatry. 2011; (9): 894-903
- Distinct Plasma Profile of Polar Neutral Amino Acids, Leucine, and Glutamate in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2011
Help