Kenneth L. Davis
Encyclopedia
Kenneth L. Davis is an American
author
and medical researcher
who developed the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale, the most widely used tool to test the efficacy of treatments for Alzheimer's Disease
designed specifically to evaluate the severity of cognitive
and noncognitive behavioral dysfunctions characteristic to persons with Alzheimer's disease.
His paper, "Dopamine
in schizophrenia
—a review and reconceptualization" (American Journal of Psychiatry
, 148 [11]: 1474-86, November 1991) is the third most-cited paper on schizophrenia research in its decade.
He is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer
of Mount Sinai Medical Center
in New York City
.
, rivastigmine
, galantamine
, donepezil
and memantine
In 1978, Davis, together with Richard Mohs, conducted the first well-controlled study of a drug that was shown able to improve the storage and retrieval functions of long-term memory
in humans.
In 1987, Davis participated in the first study providing strong evidence that Alzheimer’s risk is inherited.
While at Mount Sinai Hospital, Davis and his associates have been at the forefront in the delineation of the role of amyloid
in Alzheimer’s disease, and were among the first to report the cloning
and chromosomal location of the amyloid precursor protein, regarded as one of the most important discoveries in Alzheimer’s research in the previous 15 years.
and myelin
play roles in the disease's pathophysiology
and that dopamine – long thought to be merely hyperactive in a schizophrenic brain – is actually hypoactive in different regions.
While studies have shown that individuals born in winter months are disproportionately likely to develop schizophrenia, Davis participated in a 2006 study that demonstrated that this disproportionality also exists in tropical regions, ruling out cold weather as the cause.
and later valedictorian
of Mount Sinai School of Medicine's
second graduating class where he received the Harold Elster Memorial Award for highest academic achievement. Graduate medical education was completed at Stanford University
.
In 1979, Davis was made Chief of Psychiatry at Bronx Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, where he became the first director of its Schizophrenia Biological Research Center. From 1987 until 2003, he was Chairman of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
In 2003, Davis was appointed Dean of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and held that position until 2007, when he was succeeded by Dennis S. Charney, M.D.
Davis was also appointed as the President and C.E.O. of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in 2003 – positions he holds today. He is the director of the Mount Sinai Silvio Conte Neuroscience Center, Trustee of the New York Academy of Medicine
, and Chair of the New York Academy of Medicine Deans Council. In addition, he has served as Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Greater New York Hospital Association.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Academic authorship
Academic authorship of journal articles, books and other original works is a means by which academics communicate the results of their scholarly work, establish priority for their discoveries, and build their reputation among their peers. Authorship is a primary basis on which many academics are...
and medical researcher
Biomedical research
Biomedical research , in general simply known as medical research, is the basic research, applied research, or translational research conducted to aid and support the body of knowledge in the field of medicine...
who developed the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale, the most widely used tool to test the efficacy of treatments for Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
designed specifically to evaluate the severity of cognitive
Cognition
In science, cognition refers to mental processes. These processes include attention, remembering, producing and understanding language, solving problems, and making decisions. Cognition is studied in various disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and computer science...
and noncognitive behavioral dysfunctions characteristic to persons with Alzheimer's disease.
His paper, "Dopamine
Dopamine
Dopamine is a catecholamine neurotransmitter present in a wide variety of animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In the brain, this substituted phenethylamine functions as a neurotransmitter, activating the five known types of dopamine receptors—D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5—and their...
in schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
—a review and reconceptualization" (American Journal of Psychiatry
American Journal of Psychiatry
The American Journal of Psychiatry is a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal covering all aspects of psychiatry and the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association. The first volume was issued in 1844, at which time it was known as the American Journal of Insanity...
, 148 [11]: 1474-86, November 1991) is the third most-cited paper on schizophrenia research in its decade.
He is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Mount Sinai Medical Center
Mount Sinai Hospital, New York
Mount Sinai Hospital, founded in 1852, is one of the oldest and largest teaching hospitals in the United States. In 2011-2012, Mount Sinai Hospital was ranked as one of America's best hospitals by U.S...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Alzheimer's research
Davis participated in breakthrough proof-of-concept studies and clinical trials of cholinesterase inhibitors. These trials (the first multicenter ones for cholinesterase inhibitors) established efficacy and ultimately led the first four of the five FDA-approved compounds for treating the symptoms of Alzheimer's: tacrineTacrine
Tacrine is a centrally acting anticholinesterase and indirect cholinergic agonist . It was the first centrally-acting cholinesterase inhibitor approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and was marketed under the trade name Cognex. Tacrine was first synthesised by Adrien Albert at the...
, rivastigmine
Rivastigmine
Rivastigmine is a parasympathomimetic or cholinergic agent for the treatment of mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer’s type and dementia due to Parkinson's disease. The drug can be administered orally or via a transdermal patch; the latter form reduces the prevalence of side effects, which...
, galantamine
Galantamine
Galantamine is used for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease and various other memory impairments, in particular those of vascular origin...
, donepezil
Donepezil
Donepezil, marketed under the trade name Aricept by its developer Eisai and partner Pfizer, is a centrally acting reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Its main therapeutic use is in the palliative treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Common side effects include...
and memantine
In 1978, Davis, together with Richard Mohs, conducted the first well-controlled study of a drug that was shown able to improve the storage and retrieval functions of long-term memory
Long-term memory
Long-term memory is memory in which associations among items are stored, as part of the theory of a dual-store memory model. According to the theory, long term memory differs structurally and functionally from working memory or short-term memory, which ostensibly stores items for only around 20–30...
in humans.
In 1987, Davis participated in the first study providing strong evidence that Alzheimer’s risk is inherited.
While at Mount Sinai Hospital, Davis and his associates have been at the forefront in the delineation of the role of amyloid
Amyloid
Amyloids are insoluble fibrous protein aggregates sharing specific structural traits. Abnormal accumulation of amyloid in organs may lead to amyloidosis, and may play a role in various neurodegenerative diseases.-Definition:...
in Alzheimer’s disease, and were among the first to report the cloning
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
and chromosomal location of the amyloid precursor protein, regarded as one of the most important discoveries in Alzheimer’s research in the previous 15 years.
Schizophrenia research
Davis's work on schizophrenia has shown that oligodendroglia cellsOligodendrocyte
Oligodendrocytes , or oligodendroglia , are a type of brain cell. They are a variety of neuroglia. Their main function is the insulation of axons in the central nervous system of some vertebrates...
and myelin
Myelin
Myelin is a dielectric material that forms a layer, the myelin sheath, usually around only the axon of a neuron. It is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Myelin is an outgrowth of a type of glial cell. The production of the myelin sheath is called myelination...
play roles in the disease's pathophysiology
Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology is the study of the changes of normal mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions, either caused by a disease, or resulting from an abnormal syndrome...
and that dopamine – long thought to be merely hyperactive in a schizophrenic brain – is actually hypoactive in different regions.
While studies have shown that individuals born in winter months are disproportionately likely to develop schizophrenia, Davis participated in a 2006 study that demonstrated that this disproportionality also exists in tropical regions, ruling out cold weather as the cause.
Biography
Davis graduated magna cum laude from Yale CollegeYale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
and later valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of Mount Sinai School of Medicine's
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Mount Sinai School of Medicine is an American medical school in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, currently ranked among the top 20 medical schools in the United States. It was chartered by Mount Sinai Hospital in 1963....
second graduating class where he received the Harold Elster Memorial Award for highest academic achievement. Graduate medical education was completed at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
In 1979, Davis was made Chief of Psychiatry at Bronx Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, where he became the first director of its Schizophrenia Biological Research Center. From 1987 until 2003, he was Chairman of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
In 2003, Davis was appointed Dean of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and held that position until 2007, when he was succeeded by Dennis S. Charney, M.D.
Dennis S. Charney
Dennis S. Charney is an American biological psychiatrist and researcher, one of the world's leading experts in the neurobiology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders...
Davis was also appointed as the President and C.E.O. of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in 2003 – positions he holds today. He is the director of the Mount Sinai Silvio Conte Neuroscience Center, Trustee of the New York Academy of Medicine
New York Academy of Medicine
The New York Academy of Medicine was founded in 1847 by a group of leading New York City metropolitan area physicians as a voice for the medical profession in medical practice and public health reform...
, and Chair of the New York Academy of Medicine Deans Council. In addition, he has served as Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Greater New York Hospital Association.
Awards and recognition
- Career Development Award, Veterans Administration
- A.E. Bennett Award of the Society of Biological Psychiatry
- American Psychiatric Association Award for Research in Psychiatry
- Elected member, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Science
- President, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
- 2009 George H. W. Bush Lifetime of Leadership Award
Books
- Alzheimer's Disease: Questions and Answers by Kenneth Davis and Kenneth L Davis and Paul S. Aisen and Deborah B. Marin, Softcover, Merit Pub Intl, ISBN 187341336X (1-873413-36-X)
- Brain Acetylcholine and Neuropsychiatric Disease by Philip A. Berger and Kenneth L Davis, Hardcover, Plenum Press, ISBN 0306401576 (0-306-40157-6)
- Neuropsychopharmacology: The Fifth Generation of Progress by American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and Joseph T. Coyle and Charles Nemeroff and Dennis CharneyDennis S. CharneyDennis S. Charney is an American biological psychiatrist and researcher, one of the world's leading experts in the neurobiology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders...
and Kenneth L Davis, Hardcover, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, ISBN 0781728371 (0-7817-2837-1)