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David A Merrill

Mailing Address:
1301 20th Street, Suite 145
Los Angeles, CA 90404

Affiliations
Affiliations
Health Sciences Clinical Assistant Professor, Geriatric Psychiatry
Biography:

Dr. David Merrill is a clinical research scientist and volunteer faculty member in Psychiatry at UCLA with a neuroscience background. He began his research career within the realm of basic science while completing his PhD in neuroscience at UCSD on mechanisms underlying brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) induced neuroplasticity in aging. This experience provided him with rigorous training in the scientific method; however, his PhD was followed by a number of years in clinical training, which shifted his research interests toward clinical care and research of human subjects. Dr. Merrill’s work at UCLA has focused on impact of modifiable brain health-related factors, diet and exercise included, on mood and cognition in middle aged and older adults. He now directs the Pacific Brain Health Center at Providence St. John's in Santa Monica, CA.

Publications

A selected list of publications:

Siddarth Prabha, Burggren Alison C, Merrill David A, Ercoli Linda M, Mahmood Zanjbeel, Barrio Jorge R, Small Gary W   Longer TOMM40 poly-T variants associated with higher FDDNP-PET medial temporal tau and amyloid binding PloS one, 2018; 13(12): e0208358.
Burggren Alison C, Siddarth Prabha, Mahmood Zanjbeel, London Edythe D, Harrison Theresa M, Merrill David A, Small Gary W, Bookheimer Susan Y   Subregional Hippocampal Thickness Abnormalities in Older Adults with a History of Heavy Cannabis Use Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 2018; 3(1): 242-251.
Chang Donald D, Eyreeuro Harris A, Abbott Ryan, Coudreaut Michael, Baune Bernhard T, Shaman Jeffrey A, Lavretsky Helen, Lenze Eric J, Merrill David A, Singh Ajeet B, Mulsant Benoit H, Reynolds Charles F, Müller Daniel J, Bousman Chad   Pharmacogenetic guidelines and decision support tools for depression treatment: application to late-life Pharmacogenomics, 2018; 19(16): 1269-1284.
Siddarth Prabha, Burggren Alison C, Eyre Harris A, Small Gary W, Merrill David A   Sedentary behavior associated with reduced medial temporal lobe thickness in middle-aged and older adults PloS one, 2018; 13(4): e0195549.
Small Gary W, Siddarth Prabha, Li Zhaoping, Miller Karen J, Ercoli Linda, Emerson Natacha D, Martinez Jacqueline, Wong Koon-Pong, Liu Jie, Merrill David A, Chen Stephen T, Henning Susanne M, Satyamurthy Nagichettiar, Huang Sung-Cheng, Heber David, Barrio Jorge R   Memory and Brain Amyloid and Tau Effects of a Bioavailable Form of Curcumin in Non-Demented Adults: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled 18-Month Trial The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2018; 26(3): 266-277.
Abbott Ryan, Chang Donald D, Eyre Harris A, Bousman Chad A, Merrill David A, Lavretsky Helen   Pharmacogenetic Decision Support Tools: A New Paradigm for Late-Life Depression? The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2018; 26(2): 125-133.
Omalu Bennet, Small Gary W, Bailes Julian, Ercoli Linda M, Merrill David A, Wong Koon-Pong, Huang Sung-Cheng, Satyamurthy Nagichettiar, Hammers Jennifer L, Lee John, Fitzsimmons Robert P, Barrio Jorge R   Postmortem Autopsy-Confirmation of Antemortem [F-18]FDDNP-PET Scans in a Football Player With Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Neurosurgery, 2018; 82(2): 237-246.
Chen Stephen T, Siddarth Prabha, Merrill David A, Martinez Jacqueline, Emerson Natacha D, Liu Jie, Wong Koon-Pong, Satyamurthy Nagichettiar, Giza Christopher C, Huang Sung-Cheng, Fitzsimmons Robert P, Bailes Julian, Omalu Bennet, Barrio Jorge R, Small Gary W   FDDNP-PET Tau Brain Protein Binding Patterns in Military Personnel with Suspected Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy1 Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2018; 65(1): 79-88.
Roussotte Florence F, Siddarth Prabha, Merrill David A, Narr Katherine L, Ercoli Linda M, Martinez Jacqueline, Emerson Natacha D, Barrio Jorge R, Small Gary W   In Vivo Brain Plaque and Tangle Burden Mediates the Association Between Diastolic Blood Pressure and Cognitive Functioning in Nondemented Adults The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2018; 26(1): 13-22.
Siddarth Prabha, Rahi Berna, Emerson Natacha D, Burggren Alison C, Miller Karen J, Bookheimer Susan, Lavretsky Helen, Dobkin Bruce, Small Gary, Merrill David A   Physical Activity and Hippocampal Sub-Region Structure in Older Adults with Memory Complaints Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2018; 61(3): 1089-1096.
McEwen Sarah C, Siddarth Prabha, Abedelsater Berna, Kim Yena, Mui Wenli, Wu Pauline, Emerson Natacha D, Lee Jacob, Greenberg Shayna, Shelton Tiffany, Kaiser Scott, Small Gary W, Merrill David A   Simultaneous Aerobic Exercise and Memory Training Program in Older Adults with Subjective Memory Impairments Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2018; 62(2): 795-806.
Burggren Alison C, Mahmood Zanjbeel, Harrison Theresa M, Siddarth Prabha, Miller Karen J, Small Gary W, Merrill David A, Bookheimer Susan Y   Hippocampal thinning linked to longer TOMM40 poly-T variant lengths in the absence of the APOE ε4 variant Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 2017; .
Raji Cyrus A, Merrill David A, Barrio Jorge R, Omalu Bennet, Small Gary W   Progressive Focal Gray Matter Volume Loss in a Former High School Football Player: A Possible Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volumetric Signature for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2016; 24(10): 784-90.
Merrill David A, Siddarth Prabha, Raji Cyrus A, Emerson Natacha D, Rueda Florangel, Ercoli Linda M, Miller Karen J, Lavretsky Helen, Harris Laurel M, Burggren Alison C, Bookheimer Susan Y, Barrio Jorge R, Small Gary W   Modifiable Risk Factors and Brain Positron Emission Tomography Measures of Amyloid and Tau in Nondemented Adults with Memory Complaints The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2016; 24(9): 729-37.
Emerson N D, Merrill D A, Shedd K, Bilder R M, Siddarth P   Effects of an employee exercise programme on mental health Occupational medicine (Oxford, England), 2016; 24(9): 729-37.
Raji Cyrus A, Merrill David A, Eyre Harris, Mallam Sravya, Torosyan Nare, Erickson Kirk I, Lopez Oscar L, Becker James T, Carmichael Owen T, Gach H Michael, Thompson Paul M, Longstreth W T, Kuller Lewis H   Longitudinal Relationships between Caloric Expenditure and Gray Matter in the Cardiovascular Health Study Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2016; 52(2): 719-29.
Barrio Jorge R, Small Gary W, Wong Koon-Pong, Huang Sung-Cheng, Liu Jie, Merrill David A, Giza Christopher C, Fitzsimmons Robert P, Omalu Bennet, Bailes Julian, Kepe Vladimir   In vivo characterization of chronic traumatic encephalopathy using [F-18]FDDNP PET brain imaging Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2015; 112(16): E2039-47.
Chen Stephen T, Siddarth Prabha, Ercoli Linda M, Merrill David A, Torres-Gil Fernando, Small Gary W   Modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer disease and subjective memory impairment across age groups PloS one, 2014; 9(6): e98630.
Chen Stephen T, Siddarth Prabha, Saito Nathan Y, Rueda Flori, Haight Taylor, Ercoli Linda M, Miller Karen J, Lavretsky Helen, Barrio Jorge R, Bookheimer Susan Y, Small Gary W, Merrill David A   Psychological well-being and regional brain amyloid and tau in mild cognitive impairment The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2014; 22(4): 362-9.
Small Gary W, Siddarth Prabha, Ercoli Linda M, Chen Stephen T, Merrill David A, Torres-Gil Fernando   Healthy behavior and memory self-reports in young, middle-aged, and older adults International psychogeriatrics, 2013; 25(6): 981-9.
Small Gary W, Kepe Vladimir, Siddarth Prabha, Ercoli Linda M, Merrill David A, Donoghue Natacha, Bookheimer Susan Y, Martinez Jacqueline, Omalu Bennet, Bailes Julian, Barrio Jorge R   PET scanning of brain tau in retired national football league players: preliminary findings The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2013; 21(2): 138-44.
Merrill David A, Siddarth Prabha, Kepe Vladimir, Raja Pushpa V, Saito Nathan, Ercoli Linda M, Miller Karen J, Lavretsky Helen, Bookheimer Susan Y, Barrio Jorge R, Small Gary W   Vascular risk and FDDNP-PET influence cognitive performance Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2013; 35(1): 147-57.
Merrill David A, Siddarth Prabha, Saito Nathan Y, Ercoli Linda M, Burggren Alison C, Kepe Vladimir, Lavretsky Helen, Miller Karen J, Kim Jeanne, Huang S C, Bookheimer Susan Y, Barrio Jorge R, Small Gary W   Self-reported memory impairment and brain PET of amyloid and tau in middle-aged and older adults without dementia International psychogeriatrics, 2012; 24(7): 1076-84.
Merrill David A, Small Gary W   Prevention in psychiatry: effects of healthy lifestyle on cognition The Psychiatric clinics of North America, 2011; 34(1): 249-61.
Merrill David A, Masliah Eliezer, Roberts Jeffery A, McKay Heather, Kordower Jeffery H, Mufson Elliott J, Tuszynski Mark H   Association of early experience with neurodegeneration in aged primates Neurobiology of aging, 2011; 32(1): 151-6.
Conner James M, Franks Kevin M, Titterness Andrea K, Russell Kyle, Merrill David A, Christie Brian R, Sejnowski Terrence J, Tuszynski Mark H   NGF is essential for hippocampal plasticity and learning The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 2009; 29(35): 10883-9.
Nagahara Alan H, Merrill David A, Coppola Giovanni, Tsukada Shingo, Schroeder Brock E, Shaked Gideon M, Wang Ling, Blesch Armin, Kim Albert, Conner James M, Rockenstein Edward, Chao Moses V, Koo Edward H, Geschwind Daniel, Masliah Eliezer, Chiba Andrea A, Tuszynski Mark H   Neuroprotective effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in rodent and primate models of Alzheimer's disease Nature medicine, 2009; 15(3): 331-7.
Merrill David A, Karim Rajiv, Darraq Michael, Chiba Andrea A, Tuszynski Mark H   Hippocampal cell genesis does not correlate with spatial learning ability in aged rats The Journal of comparative neurology, 2003; 459(2): 201-7.
Tuszynski Mark H, Conner James, Blesch Armin, Smith David, Merrill David A, Vahlsing H Lee   New strategies in neural repair Progress in brain research, 2002; 138(1): 401-9.
Merrill David A, Blesch Armin, Tuszynski Mark H   Therapeutic potential of nervous system growth factors for neurodegenerative disease Expert review of neurotherapeutics, 2002; 2(1): 89-96.
Merrill D A, Chiba A A, Tuszynski M H   Conservation of neuronal number and size in the entorhinal cortex of behaviorally characterized aged rats The Journal of comparative neurology, 2001; 438(4): 445-56.
Merrill D A, Roberts J A, Tuszynski M H   Conservation of neuron number and size in entorhinal cortex layers II, III, and V/VI of aged primates The Journal of comparative neurology, 2000; 422(3): 396-401.