Dr. Douglas Scharre started his career at The Ohio State University Medical Center in 1993 when he joined the Department of Neurology.  He is a board certified neurologist, a clinical researcher and a master clinician regarding diagnosis and management of cognitive issues. His research focuses on early detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia using cognitive evaluation and functional neuroimaging.

During Dr. Scharre’s tenure with OSU, he developed the SAGE Test, the self-administered cognitive assessment tool and the 4-Turn Test for assessment of driving abilities. He has conducted over 100 dementia related multi-center and investigator initiated clinical trials in the last 17 years that have been funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH), foundations, and industry. He has many active grants including clinical drug trials using cognitive enhancers and behavioral therapies, functional neuroimaging studies using SPECT and MRI, use of deep brain stimulation to improve symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease, and screening for mild cognitive impairment and early dementia diagnosis.

Dr. Scharre currently maintains repositories for brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid and serum (brain and biomarker banks) on dementia subjects that researchers can utilize.  He has also published multiple journal papers, book chapters, and abstracts on the topic of cognitive neurology.  In fact, his recent book on Long-Term Management of Dementia is a stand-alone resource for health care professionals who diagnose, treat, and manage patients suffering from dementia.

Learn more about Dr. Scharre.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association (2011), deaths caused by Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) have been rising dramatically and are expected to continue to increase as the baby boom generation ages.  The older population is also becoming more racially and ethnically diverse as the overall minority population increases and experiences greater longevity (Administration on Aging, 2011).   This trend suggests that more minorities will be diagnosed with AD, which means more minorities will become caregivers. 

In a recent grant proposal, Dr. Virginia Richardson and her colleagues will explore dementia caregiving among minority caregivers.  This study, “Perceptions of dementia caregivers among minority groups: Exploring similarities and differences using a mixed methods exploratory sequential design”, is funded by The Ohio State College of Social Work‘s Dean’s Fund.  Dr. Richardson and her team will interview dementia caregivers from African American, South Korean, and Hispanic backgrounds, as well as dementia caregivers from rural areas, and also caregivers who are gay men. 

The research team will analyze the identification of themes, including similarities as well as differences, within and across the minority dementia caregivers mentioned above.  They expect the results of this study to lead to further research on this topic.  They also plan to share the study findings with community agencies so that these agencies might create more targeted and culturally-sensitive services for their older minority caregivers.

For more information about this study, please contact Dr. Virginia Richardson.