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Faculty Bio - Caterina Rosano, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Epidemiology
Center for Aging and Population Health
Graduate School of Public Health
130 N. Bellefield Street, Room 507
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: (412) 383-1294
Fax: (412) 383-1308
http://www.caph.pitt.edu
E-mail: rosanoc@edc.pitt.edu






General Description

Dr. Rosano has obtained her MD from the School of Medicine, Palermo, Italy, in 1995 and her Master in Epidemiology from the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh in 2003. Dr Rosano has received her training in Neuroscience as a postdoctoral fellow at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami in 1996-98. Her research focused on the neuroregenerative potential of the gray and white matter of the central nervous system. As a research associate in the department of Neurobehavioral studies at the University of Pittsburgh, (1999, 2001) she used functional Brain MRI technique to investigate the human brain performance and sensorimotor integration in young and older adults. From 2001-2004, Dr. Rosano has conducted research as a National Institute on Aging Fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, focusing on the epidemiology of age-related brain functional impairment.

Research Description

Dr. Rosano is currently developing a model to predict the incidence of cognitive and physical functional limitations in older adults. Her work focuses on the determinants of cognitive and physical aging and takes advantage of novel measures of brain structural and functional integrity. By understanding the relationship between brain and physical functions, Dr. Rosano hopes to identify predictors of successful aging.

Research Support (active only)

Principal Investigator
  • Brain anatomical correlates of mobility control in the oldest old (2007-2012), NIA/NINDS (1 R01 AG029232-01)
  • Novel brain neuroimaging markers of age-related mobility impairment (2006-2009), NIH/NIA (1 K23 AG028966-01)
  • Global vs. focal neuroimaging markers of Dementia risk (2006-2008), NIH/NIA (1 R03 AG025076-01)
  • Diffusion tensor imaging in Motor Re-learning in Older Adults with Mobility Disability (2006-2007), Pepper Center (Small Pilot Pepper Grant)
  • A pilot study to measure the association between functional brain MRI activation and motor performance in the LIFE participants 1 year after the end of the intervention (2007), NIA (263-MA-706016)

Teaching


Honors (Since 2002)

2007     First prize in the Junior Faculty category at the Celebrating Research on Aging Day, University of Pittsburgh Institute on Aging
2007     NIA Bedside-to-Bench Conference Thinking, Moving and Feeling, Travel award American Geriatric Society
2005    Career award grant accepted for funding through Pittsburgh Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center Grant
2004    Merck / American Geriatric Society New Investigator Award for new and relevant work in geriatrics.
2004    Award from the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) for best Scientific Presentation at Dean's Day, University of Pittsburgh, PA
2003    Award from the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) for best Scientific Presentation at Dean's Day, University of Pittsburgh, PA
2002    Travel award to participate to the Society for Neuroscience Conference in San Diego,
    Award from the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH), University of Pittsburgh, PA


Selected Publications
  1. Venkatraman VK, Aizenstein H, Guralnik J, Newman AB, Glynn NW, Taylor C, Studenski S, Launer L, Pahor M, Williamson J, Rosano C. Executive control function, brain activation and white matter hyperintensities in older adults. NeuriImage. 2009 Nov 14 [Epub ahead of print]
  2. VanSwearing JM, Perera S, Brach JS, Cham R, Rosano C, Studenski SA. A Randomized Trial of Two Forms of Therapeutic Activity to Improve Walking: Effect on the Energy Cost of Walking. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2009 Nov; 64(11): 1190-8.
  3. Yaffe K, Fiocco AJ, Lindquist K, Vittinghoff E, Simonsick EM, Newman AB, Satterfield S, Rosano C, Rubin SM, Ayonayon HN, Harris TB. Predictors of maintaining cognitive function in older adults: The Health ABC Study. Neurology. 2009 Jun 9; 72(23): 2029-35.
  4. Soreca I, Rosano C, Jennings JR, Sheu LK, Kuller LH, Matthews KA, Aizenstein HJ, Gianaros PJ. Gain in adiposity across 15 years is associated with reduced gray matter volume in health women. Psychosom. 2009 May ;71(5):485-490.
  5. Kanaya AM, Lindquist K, Harris TB, Launer L, Rosano C, Satterfield S, Yaffe K; Health ABC Study. Total and regional adiposity and cognitive change in older adults: The Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. Arch Neurol. 2009 Mar; 66(3): 329-35.
  6. Rosano C, Sigurdsson S, Siggeirsdottir K, Phillips C, Garcia M, Jonsson P, Eiriksdottir G, Newman A, Harris T, van Buchem M, Gudnason V, Launer L. Magnetization transfer imaging, white matter hyperintensities, brain atrophy and slower gain in older men and women. Neurobiol Aging. 2008 Sep 5; [Epub ahead of print]
  7. Inzitari M, Studenski S, Rosano C, Zakai N, Longstreth W, Cushman M, Newman AB. Anemia is associated with the progression of white matter disease in older adults with high blood pressure: the Cardiovascular Health Study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008 Oct;56(10):1867-72.
  8. Rosano C, Aizenstein H, Brach J, Longenberger A, Studenski S, Newman AB. Gait measures indicate underlying focal gray matter atrophy in the brain of older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Med Sci. 2008 Dec.; 63(12):1380-8.
  9. Rosano C, Newman AB, Katz R, Hirsch C, Kuller L. Lower Digit Symbol Substitution Test score and slower gait are associated with greater risk of mortality and of developing incident disability in well functioning older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008 Sept.; 56(9):1618-25.
  10. Sparto P, Aizenstein H, VanSwearingen J, Rosano C, Perera S, Studenski S, Furman J, Redfern M. Delays in auditory-cued step initiation are related to increased volume of white matter hyperintensities in older adults. Experimental Brain Research. 2008;188:633-640.
  11. Yaffe K, Lindquist K, Shlipak MG, Simonsick E, Fried L, Rosano C, Satterfield S, Atkinson H, Windham BG, Kurella-Tamura M. Cystatin C as a marker of cognitive function in elders: findings from the health ABC study. Ann Neurol. 2008 Jun;63(6):798-802.
  12. Mast BT, Miles T, Penninx BW, Yaffe K, Rosano C, Satterfield S, Ayonayon HN, Harris T, Simonsick EM. Vascular Disease and Future Risk of Depressive Symptomatology in Older Adults: Findings from Health, Aging and Body Composition. Biol Psychiatry 2008:64(4):320-326.
  13. Yaffe K, Kanaya A, Lindquist K, Hsueh W, Cummings S, Beamer B, Newman A, Rosano C, Li R, Harris T. PPAR-gamma Pro12Ala genotype and risk of cognitive decline in elders. Neurobiol Aging 2008;29(1):78-83.
  14. Holden K, Lindquist K, Tylavsky F, Rosano C, Harris B, Yaffe D. Serum leptin level and cognition in the elderly: Findings from the Health ABC Study. Neurobiol Aging 2008 Mar 19 [Epub ahead of print].
  15. Atkinson H, Rosano C, Simonsick E, Williamson J, Davis C, Ambrosius W, Rapp S, Cesari M, Newman AB, Harris T, Rubin S, Yaffe K, Satterfield S, Kritchevsky, S. Cognitive function, gait speed decline, and comorbidities: the health, aging and body composition study. J Gerontol A Biol Med Sci 2007;62(8):844-50.
  16. Rosano C, Brach J, Studenski S, Longstreth Jr WT, Newman AB. Gait variability is associated with subclinical brain vascular abnormalities in high functioning older adults. Neuroepidemiology 2007;29(3-4):193-200.
  17. Inzitari M, Newman AB, Yaffe K, Boudreau R, de Rekeneire N, Shorr R, Harris, TB, Rosano C. Gait Speed Predicts Decline In Attention And Psychomotor Speed In Older Adults: the Health Aging And Body Composition Study. Neuroepidemiology 2007;29(3-4):156-162.
  18. Rosano C, Aizenstein HA, Studenski S, Newman AB. A regions-of-Interest Volumetric Analysis of Mobility Limitations in Community-Dwelling Older Adults. J Gerontol A Biol Med Sci 2007;62(9):1048-55.
  19. Rosano C, Aizenstein HA, Wu M, Newman AB, Becker J, Lopez OL, Kuller LH. Focal Atrophy and Cerebrovascular Disease Increase Dementia Risk among Cognitively Normal Older Adults. Neuroimaging 2007;17(2):148-55.
  20. Faulkner KA, Redfern MS, Cauley JA, Landsittel DP, Studenski S, Rosano C, et al. For the Health Aging and Body Composition Study. Multi-tasking: Association of poorer performance and a history of recurrent falls. J Am Geriatr Soc 2007;55 (4):570-6.
  21. Brenes G, Kritchevsky S, Mehta K, Yaffe K, Simonsick E, Ayonayon H, Rosano C, Rubin S, Satterfield S, Penninx B. Scared to Death: results from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2007 Mar 15(3):262-265.
  22. Wu M., Rosano C, Lopez-Garcia P, Carter C, Aizenstein H. Optimum template selection for Atlas-based segmentation. Neurolmage. 2007 Feb. 34(4):1612-8.
  23. Rosano C, Newman, AB, Cardiovascular disease and risk of Alzheimer's disease. Neurol Res. 2006 Sep;28(6):612-20.
  24. Wu M., Rosano C, Butters M, Whyte E, Crooks R, Meltzer C, Reynolds C, III, Aizenstein H. Automated method for quantifying and localizing white matter hyperintensities on MR images. Psychiatry Research:Neuroimaging. 2006 Dec; 148(2-3):133-42.
  25. Rosano C, Brach J, Longstreth W Jr., Newman AB. Quantitative measures of gait characteristics indicate prevalence of underlying subclinical structural brain abnormalities in high-functioning older adults. Neuroepidemiology. 2006 Feb 26(1):52-60.
  26. Sudore RL, Yaffe K, Satterfield S, Harris TB, Mehta KM, Simonsick EM, Newman AB, Rosano C, Rooks R, Rubin SM, Ayonayon HN, Schillinger D. Limited literacy and mortality in the elderly: the health, aging, and body composition study.J Gen Intern Med. 2006 Aug;21(8):806-12.
  27. Sudore RL, Mehta KM, Simonsick EM, Harris TB, Newman AB, Satterfield S, Rosano C, Rooks RN, Rubin SM, Ayonayon HN, Yaffe K. Limited literacy in older people and disparities in health and healthcare access. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006 May;54(5):770-6.
  28. Pope SK, Kritchevsky SB, Ambrosone C, Stewart S, Yaffe K, Tylavsky FA, Simonsick E, Rosano C, Harris TB. Myeloperoxidase Polymorphism and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study. American J. of Epidemiology, 2006 Jun 15;163(12):1084-90.
  29. Rosano C, Aizenstein H, Cochran J, Saxton J, et al. Functional neuroimaging indicators of successful executive control in the oldest old. NeuroImage 2005 Dec;28(4):881-9.
  30. Koster A, Newman AB, Yaffe K, Rosano C, et al. Socio-economic differences in cognitive decline and the role of biomedical factors. Annals of Neuroepidemiology 2005 Sep;15(8):564-571.
  31. Rosano C, Aizenstein H, Cochran J, Saxton J, et al. Functional Magnetic Resonance patterns of activation in individuals affected by mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Biological Psychiatry 57(7): 761-7.
  32. Faulkner K, Rosano C, Cauley J, Redfern M, Newman AB. Reciprocal influence of concurrent walking and cognitive testing on performance in older adults Gait Posture. 2005 Sep; 24(2):182-9.
  33. Rosano C, Newman AB, Kuller L, Carter C, Lopez O, Becker J, Aizenstein H Morphometric analysis of gray matter volume in demented older adults: exploratory analysis of the cardiovascular health study brain MRI database Neuroepidemiology, 2005; 24(4):221-229.
  34. Rosano C, Kuller L, Arnold AM, Chung H, Longstreth W Jr, Newman AB. MRI study of brain lesions as predictors of physical functional decline in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2005 Apr;53(4):649-54.
  35. Rosano C, Naydeck B, Kuller L, Newman AB. Is coronary artery calcification associated with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) brain abnormalities and dementia? J Am Geriatr Soc 2005 Apr;53(4):609-15.
  36. Rosano C, Simonsick EM, Harris T, Brach J, et al. Association between motor and cognitive performance in well-functioning elderly. Neuroepidemiology 2005; 24:8-14
  37. Rosano C, Melchitzky DS, Sweeney JA, Lewis DA. Chemoarchitecture of the human precentral sulcus (PCS). Brain Research 2003;972(1-2):16-30.
  38. Rosano C, Krisky CM, Thulborn KR, .Sweeney JA. Pursuit and saccade subregions of the frontal eye field in humans: a high-resolution functional MRI investigation. Cerebral Cortex 2002;12(2):107-115
  39. Sweeney JA, Rosano C, Berman RA, Luna B. Decline in voluntary response inhibition but not spatial working memory in normal aging: evidence from oculomotor studies. Neurobiol Aging 2001;22(1):39-47.
  40. Oudega M, Rosano C, .Sadi D, Wood PM, Schwab M, Hagg T. Neutralizing antibodies against Neurite Growth Inhibitor NI-35/250 do not promote regeneration on sensory axons in the adult rat spinal cord. Neuroscience 2000;100(4):873-83.
  41. Rosano C, Cuervo EF, Wood PM. Regenerative potential of adult O1+ oligodendrocytes. Glia 1999;27(3):189-202.