Rachel Whitmer, PhD

Rachel Whitmer, PhD, an Investigator at the Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, is an epidemiologist examining population level risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer disease. Dr. Whitmer did her postdoctoral training in Cardiovascular Epidemiology at the School of Public Health at University of California, Berkeley, and was an NIH Faculty Scholar in the joint UCSF School of Medicine-Kaiser program, Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRWCH) from 2002-2005.

Dr. Whitmer's research training and background is in aging epidemiology, specifically on predictors of cognitive decline and dementia. Her research program investigates population level risk factors for Alzheimer disease, dementia, and cognitive impairment. Dr. Whitmer's current research focus is on metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory predictors of cognitive aging and dementia. She is the Principal Investirgator of two federally funded grants examining the relationship between diabetes and risk of dementia, as well as obesity, adipocytokines , and dementia and cognitive decline. She is also building a healthy aging registry as part of the Kaiser Permanente Research Program on Genes, Environment and Health.

Current Positions:

Research Scientist, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Northern California

Primary Research Interests:

	Dementia Epidemiology
	Diabetes and Dementia
	Healthy Aging
	Midlife Risk Factors for Alzheimer Disease
	Obesity and Alzheimer disease
	Blood Sugar Control and Dementia
	Metabolic Predictors of Cognitive Impairment

Current Projects:

	Adipocytokines, Obesity, and Cognitive Aging (NIA)
	Midlife Predictors of Dementia (NIA)
	Glycemic Control, Diabetes Treatment and Risk of Dementia: Kaiser Permanente of Northern California Diabetes Registry (NIDDK)
	Insulin Degrading Enzyme and Cognition (NIDDK)
	Weight Change, Diabetes, and Dementia Prevalence in Middle Aged Med – the California Mens Health Study
	Body Mass Index, Abdominal Obesity and Dementia Subtypes
	Alcohol Use and Dementia
	Insulin Resistance, Infammation & Cognition -SWAN

Selected Publications:

	Whitmer RA, Whitbourne SK. Evaluation of infantilizing speech in a rehabilitation setting: relation to age. Int J Aging Hum Dev. 1997;44:129-36.
	Robbins J, Hirsch C, Whitmer R, Cauley J, Harris T. The association of bone mineral density and depression in an older population. J Am Geriatr Soc 2001;49:732-6.
	Whitmer RA. Hormone replacement therapy, apolipoprotein genotype and cognition in an elderly cohort of Latinas. Dissertations International, University of California, Davis, CA; 2001.
	Whitmer RA, Haan MN, Miller JW, Yaffe K. Hormone replacement therapy and cognitive performance: the role of homocysteine. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med 2003;58:324-30.
	Aldana SG, Whitmer WR, Greenlaw R, Avins AL, Salberg A, Barnhurst M, Fellingham G, Lipsenthal L. Cardiovascular risk reductions associated with aggressive lifestyle modification and cardiac rehabilitation. Heart Lung 2003;32:374-82.
	Whitmer RA, Sidney S, Selby J, Johnston SC, Yaffe K. Midlife cardiovascular risk factors and risk of dementia in late life. Neurology 2005;64:277-81.
	Whitmer RA, Gunderson EP, Barrett-Connor E, Quesenberry CP Jr, Yaffe K. Obesity in middle age and future risk of dementia: a 27 year longitudinal population based study. BMJ 2005;330:1360.
	Gunderson EP, Whitmer RA, Lewis CE, Quesenberry CP, West DS, Sidney S. Do long-term HDL-C declines associated with a first birth vary by apo E phenotype? The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2005;14:917-28.
	Yaffe K, Blackwell T, Whitmer RA, Krueger K, Barrett Connor E. Glycosylated hemoglobin level and development of mild cognitive impairment or dementia in older women. J Nutr Health Aging 2006;10:293-5.
	Whitmer RA, Yaffe K. Obesity and dementia: life course evidence and mechanisms. Aging Health 2006:2:571-78.
	Whitmer RA. Obesity as a risk factor for dementia. In: Research and Practice in Alzheimer Disease, Vol. 11; 2006.
	Elkins JS, Whitmer RA, Sidney S, Sorel M, Yaffe K, Johnston SC. Midlife obesity and long-term risk of nursing home admission. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2006;14:1472-8.
	Barnes DE, Whitmer RA, Yaffe K. Physical acitivity and dementia: the need for prevention trials. Execise and Sport Science Reviews 2007; in press.
	Whitmer RA, Gunderson EP, Zhou J, Qusenberry CP, Yaffe K. Body mass index in midlife and risk of Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia. Curr Alzheimer Res 2007; in press.
	Whitmer RA. The epidemiology of adiposity and dementia. Curr Alzheimer Res 2007; in press.
	Whitmer RA. Diabetes and risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2007; in press.
	Whitmer RA. Diabetes and Alzheimer disease. In: Levin ME, Pfeifer M, eds. The Uncomplicated Guide to Diabetes Complications. 3rd ed. American Diabetes Association; 2007, in press.