Sarah Tomaszewski Farias, Ph.D.
Specialties
Neuropsychology
Cognitive Neuroscience
Alzheimer's Disease
Dementia
Department
Title
- Professor, Department of Neurology
- Director, UC Davis California Alzheimer's Disease Center, Sacramento
Reviews
Lawrence J. Ellison Ambulatory Care Center
4860 Y Street, Suite 3900
Sacramento, CA 95817
Driving Directions
Primary Phone:
916-734-5496
UC Davis Midtown Ambulatory Care Center
3160 Folsom Blvd, Suite 2100
Sacramento, CA 95816
Driving Directions
Primary Phone:
916-734-3588
Additional Phone Numbers
Physician Referrals: 800-4-UCDAVIS (800-482-3284)
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
Education
Ph.D., University of North Texas, Denton TX 2000
B.S., Arizona State University, Tempe AZ 1993
Internship: Neurology and Psychiatry/Neuropsychology, Tulane University, New Orleans LA 1999-2000
Fellowships
Neurology/Neuropsychology, UC Davis, Sacramento CA 2000-2002
Board Certifications
American Board of Professional Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology,
CA Psychology License,
Professional Memberships
American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology
American Board of Professional Psychology
Honors and Awards
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded Summer Research Institute in Geriatric Psychiatry, 2002
Clinical Fund Scholarship, 1994
Select Recent Publications
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.