Dr. Nikos Scarmeas | Professor of Neurology at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Dr. Nikos Scarmeas was born and raised in Athens Greece. After obtaining an M.D. degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens he moved to the US and had Neurology residency training and then a 2-year clinical fellowship in Aging and Dementia at Columbia University Medical Center. He also completed a Masters degree in Biostatistics – Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Dr Scarmeas joined the faculty of Columbia University in 2002. He is currently Professor of Neurology at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, while he maintains an Academic affiliation at Columbia University in New York.

His research interests include cognitive reserve (i.e. how higher IQ, education, more demanding occupational attainments, or more engagement in cognitive-social-physical leisure – lifestyle activities can help elderly cope better with the damage caused to their brains by Alzheimer’s disease and aging and therefore reduce their risk for dementia and slow down their rates of cognitive and functional decline). In addition, he has extensively investigated the contribution of diet (in particular composite dietary patterns such as a Mediterranean-type diet and others) in relation to dementias, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive and other aspects of aging.

Dr Scarmeas has been the Principal Investigator in studies funded by either the Alzheimer’s Association or the NIH-NIA and a Co-Investigator in multiple others. His research work has resulted in multiple original PubMed publications in international journals and multiple presentations in internationally acclaimed scientific conferences – meetings. He reviews for multiple international scientific journals and international funding agencies including the Alzheimer’s Association, the NIH, the European Union programs (i.e. Marie Curie, European Research Council, Horizon programs) etc.

For more information regarding Dr Scarmeas’ work see here.