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Kathleen Anne Welsh-Bohmer

Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine & Neurosciences
2400 Pratt St 6th Floor, PO Box 102505 DUMC, Durham, NC 27710
2400 Pratt St, Durham, NC 27705

Overview


Dr. Kathleen Welsh-Bohmer is a Professor of Psychiatry with a secondary appointment in the Department of Neurology.   

Clinically trained as a neuropsychologist, Dr. Welsh-Bohmer's research activities have been focused around developing effective prevention and treatment strategies to delay the onset of cognitive disorders occurring in later life.  From 2006 through 2018 she directed the Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Alzheimer’s Center in the Department of Neurology. She also oversaw the neuropsychology scientific operations of a ground-breaking Phase III global clinical trial to delay the onset of early clinical symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease entitled the “TOMMORROW” study (Takeda Pharmaceutical Company funded) which concluded in 2018.

Currently, she directs the Alzheimer's disease therapeutic area within the Duke Clinical Research Institute and she collaborates actively with VeraSci, a Durham based company, to develop reliable digital cognitive and functional assessment tools of early Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.  The methods her team is developing are informed by advances in neuroscience and technology and fill an information void in early pre-clinical Alzheimer's disease. Her work has implications for clinical practice and for the acceleration of global clinical trials aimed at the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences · 2021 - Present Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine & Neurosciences, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Director of Outreach and Recruitment Core of Duke/UNC Alzheimer Disease Research Center · 2021 - Present Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Institutes and Centers
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience · 2013 - Present Psychology & Neuroscience, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Professor in Neurology · 2015 - Present Neurology, Behavioral Neurology, Neurology
Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences · 2014 - Present Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, University Institutes and Centers
Member in the Duke Clinical Research Institute · 2018 - Present Duke Clinical Research Institute, Institutes and Centers

In the News


Published April 11, 2024
Bridging the Gap in Brain Health Research
Published May 7, 2015
War on Alzheimer's: Durham firms lead push in treatment R&D

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Recent Publications


Understanding barriers and optimizing socio-cognitive assessment in the diagnosis of neurocognitive disorders.

Journal Article J Neuropsychol · May 14, 2025 Harmonized neuropsychological assessment for neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) is an urgent priority in clinics. Neuropsychology assessments in NCDs seldom include tests exploring social cognitive skills. In 2022, we launched the SIGNATURE initiative to opti ... Full text Link to item Cite

Scheltens rating scores of white matter are predictive of language function among older adults with dementia.

Journal Article Appl Neuropsychol Adult · April 4, 2025 OBJECTIVE: Examine the correlation between a visual rating of white matter integrity and common measures of language function in older adults from the Cache County Memory Study (CCMS) legacy data. METHODS: Scheltens Ratings scores of white matter were calc ... Full text Link to item Cite

Star-shaped TDP-43 inclusions in the oldest-old.

Journal Article J Neuropathol Exp Neurol · April 1, 2025 Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Integrative modeling and dynamic prediction of Alzheimer's disease

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute on Aging · 2020 - 2026

Duke Creating ADRD Researchers for the Next Generation - Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Program (CARiNG-StARR)"

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2020 - 2025

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Virginia · 1985 Ph.D.