Sarah Tomaszewski Farias, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Neurology
Director, UC Davis California Alzheimer's Disease Center
Section Chief, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology
UC Davis Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Clinical Core Leader
To see if Sarah Tomaszewski Farias is accepting new patients, or for assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).
Specialties
Neuropsychology
Cognitive Neuroscience
Alzheimer's Disease
Dementia
Department
Locations and Contact
UC Davis Midtown Ambulatory Care Center
UC Davis Medical Group - Midtown Healthy Aging Clinic
3160 Folsom Blvd 3160 Folsom Blvd.
Sacramento Sacramento, CA 95816 95817
Phone: 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284)
Cannery Building
Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
1651 Alhambra Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95816
Additional Numbers
Clinic Phone
Clinic Phone
Physician Referrals
Philosophy of Care
The goal of neuropsychological testing is to help patients better understand their cognitive strengths and weaknesses. The information we learn from these evaluations often provides useful information to aid in the diagnosis of neurological disorders and, importantly, it can also be used to make recommendations and develop intervention strategies to improve one's ability to compensation and 'work around' their cognitive weaknesses.
Clinical Interests
Dr. Farias is a neuropsychologist offering cognitive evaluations to adults with a wide variety of neurological conditions that can affect memory and other thinking abilities. She has special clinical interests and expertise in the cognitive changes associated with aging, Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. She is also a member of the multidisciplinary epilepsy and movement disorders surgical intervention programs in the UC Davis Health System.
Research/Academic Interests
Dr. Farias' research focuses on several areas related to cognitive aging including:
- identifying early clinical signs Alzheimer’s disease
- evaluating social determinates of brain health and lifestyle factors that increase or decrease risk for cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease
- developing and evaluating behavioral interventions to promote cognitive health and functional independence.
Division
Neurology
Center/Program Affiliation
Undergraduate School
B.S., Arizona State University, Tempe AZ 1993
Other School
Ph.D., University of North Texas, Denton TX 2000
Internship
Neurology and Psychiatry/Neuropsychology, Tulane University, New Orleans LA 1999-2000
Fellowship
Neurology/Neuropsychology, UC Davis, Sacramento CA 2000-2002
National Institute of Health Loan Repayment Program, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
National Institute of Health Career Development Award, 2004
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded Summer Research Institute in Geriatric Psychiatry, 2002
Texas Public Education Grant, University of North Texas, Department of Psychology, 1998, 1999
Clinical Fund Scholarship, 1994
Denny KG, Harvey D, Meyer OL, Chan ML, Barba C, Farias ST. A Combined Treatment Approach to Support Everyday Function and Promote Brain Health in Older Adults: A Pilot Study. Clin Gerontol. 2020 Mar-Apr;43(2):209-220. doi:10.1080/07317115.2019.1633574. Epub 2019 Jul 9. PMID:31284845.
Tomaszewski Farias S, Schmitter-Edgecombe M, Weakley A, Harvey D, Denny KG, Barba C, Gravano JT, Giovannetti T, Willis S. Compensation Strategies in Older Adults: Association With Cognition and Everyday Function. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2018 May;33(3):184-191. doi:10.1177/1533317517753361. Epub 2018 Jan 23. PMID:29357670.
Possin KL, Moskowitz T, Erlhoff SJ, Rogers KM, Johnson ET, Steele NZR, Higgins JJ, Stiver J, Alioto AG, Farias ST, Miller BL, Rankin KP. The Brain Health Assessment for Detecting and Diagnosing Neurocognitive Disorders. J Am Greater Soc. 2018 Jan;66(1):150-156. doi:10.1111/jgs.15208. PMID:29355911.
Farias ST, Lau K, Harvey D, Denny KG, Barba C, Mefford AN. Early Functional Limitations in Cognitively Normal Older Adults Predict Diagnostic Conversion to Mild Cognitive Impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2017 Jun;65(6):1152-1158. doi:10.1111/jgs.14835. Epub 2017 Mar 17. PMID:28306147.
Rueda AD, Lau KM, Saito N, Harvey D, Risacher SL, Aisen PS, Petersen RC, Saykin AJ, Farias ST; Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Self-rated and informant-rated everyday function in comparison to objective markers of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 2015 Sep;11(9):1080-9. doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2014.09.002. Epub 2014 Nov 15. PMID:25449531.
Melrose RJ, Brewster P, Marquine MJ, MacKay-Brandt A, Reed B, Farias ST, Mungas D. Early life development in a multiethnic sample and the relation to late life cognition. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2015 Jul;70(4):519-31. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbt126. Epub 2014 Jan 3. PMID:24389122.
Brewster PW, Melrose RJ, Marquine MJ, Johnson JK, Napoles A, MacKay-Brandt A, Farias S, Reed B, Mungas D. Life experience and demographic influences on cognitive function in older adults. Neuropsychology. 2014 Nov;28(6):846-58. doi:10.1037/neu0000098. Epub 2014 Jun 16. PMID:24933483.
Farias ST, Park LQ, Harvey DJ, Simon C, Reed BR, Carmichael O, Mungas D. Everyday cognition in older adults: associations with neuropsychological performance and structural brain imaging. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2013 Apr;19(4):430-41. doi:10.1017/S1355617712001609. Epub 2013 Feb 1. PMID:23369894.
Tomaszewski Farias S, Cahn-Weiner DA, Harvey DJ, Reed BR, Mungas D, Kramer JH, Chui H. Longitudinal changes in memory and executive functioning are associated with longitudinal change in instrumental activities of daily living in older adults. Clin Neuropsychol. 2009 Apr;23(3):446-61. doi:10.1080/13854040802360558. Epub 2008 Sep 23. PMID:18821181.
Kile SJ, Ellis WG, Olichney JM, Farias S, DeCarli C. Alzheimer abnormalities of the amygdala with Klüver-Bucy syndrome symptoms: an amygdaloid variant of Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol. 2009 Jan;66(1):125-9. doi:10.1001/archneurol.2008.517. PMID:19139311.