Beth E. Snitz, PhD

Associate Professor of Neurology

Title(s)

  • Co-Associate Director, Clinical Core, Alzheimer Disease Research Center

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Snitz is a neuropsychologist with research expertise in risk factors for dementia and cognitive decline in aging. She is involved in clinical, neuroimaging and epidemiologic studies investigating cognitive aging across the normal and pathologic spectrum. Currently, Dr. Snitz leads an R01 grant examining PET neuroimaging biomarkers and longitudinal cognitive decline in a population-based sample of older adults without dementia. 

Education & Training

  • T-32 Post Doc, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pitt. fMRI
  • Post Doc Resident, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, Medicine
  • Intern, Ann Arbor VAMC, Psychology
  • PhD, University of Minnesota -Twin Cities, Clinical Psychology
  • BA, Oberlin College, Biopsychology

Specialized Areas of Clinical, Research and/or Educational Interests 

  • Research: Early cognitive changes associated with preclinical and prodromal Alzheimer Disease; cognitive correlates of Alzheimer biomarkers; risk and protective factors for mild cognitive impairment and dementia; subjective cognitive decline.

Professional Organization Membership

  • American Psychological Association, Division 40, Society for Clinical Neuropsychology
  • International Neuropsychological Society
  • Editorial Board - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
  • Scientific Advisory Committee - Society for Clinical Neuropsychology

Honors & Awards

  • NARSAD Young Investigator Award
  • NIH K-23 Career Development Award, National Institute on Aging

Selected Publications

Snitz BE, Chang Y, Tudorascu DL, Lopez OL, Lopresti, DeKosky ST, Carlson MC, Cohen AD, Kamboh MI, Aizenstein HJ, Klunk WE, and Kuller LH.  Predicting resistance to amyloid-beta deposition and cognitive resilience in the oldest-old. In press, Neurology.

Snitz BE, Tudorascu DL, Campbell E, Yu Z, Lopresti BJ, Laymon CM, Mihas DV, Nadkarni NK, Aizenstein HJ, Klunk WE, Weintraub S, Gershon RC and Cohen AD. Associations between NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery and in vivo brain amyloid- and tau-pathology in non-demented older adults. In press, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring.

Goldberg SM, Lopez OL, Cohen AD, Klunk WE, Aizenstein HA, Mizuno A, Snitz BE. The roles of study setting, response bias, and personality in subjective memory complaints of cognitively normal older adults. Int Psychogeriatr. 2021 Jul;33(7):665-676. doi: 10.1017/S1041610220000319. Epub 2020 Mar 19. PMID: 32188533; PMCID: PMC7501183.

Snitz BE, Wang T, Cloonan YK, Jacobsen E, Chang CH, Hughes TF, Kamboh MI, Ganguli M. Risk of progression from subjective cognitive decline to mild cognitive impairment: The role of study setting. Alzheimers Dement. 2018 Jun;14(6):734-742. doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2017.12.003. Epub 2018 Jan 18. PMID: 29352855; PMCID: PMC5994356.

Zhao Y, Tudorascu DL, Lopez OL, Cohen AD, Mathis CA, Aizenstein HJ, Price JC, Kuller LH, Kamboh MI, DeKosky ST, Klunk WE, Snitz BE. Amyloid β Deposition and Suspected Non-Alzheimer Pathophysiology and Cognitive Decline Patterns for 12 Years in Oldest Old Participants Without Dementia. JAMA Neurol. 2018 Jan 1;75(1):88-96. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2017.3029. PMID: 29114732; PMCID: PMC5833487.