Samantha Holden, MD
Associate Professor, Neurology

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Medical School:
  • MD, The School of Medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center (2010)
Graduate School :
  • MSCS, University of Colorado Denver (2018)
Undergraduate School:
  • BS, New York University (NY) (2006)
Internship:
  • Rush University Medical Center Program (2011)
Residency:
  • Rush University Medical Center Program, Chief Resident, Neurology (2014)
Fellowships:
  • University of Colorado, Movement Disorders; Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry (2017)
Languages: English
Department: Neurology

Professional Titles

  • Associate Professor of Neurology
  • Medical Director, Memory Disorders Clinic
  • Director, Lewy Body Dementia Association Research Center of Excellence at the University of Colorado
  • Clinical Director, Outpatient Neurology

Recognition & Awards

  • National Institute of Health Clinical Loan Repayment Program, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2017)
    Educational debt repayment program meant to allow clinician-scientists to maintain their commitment to research

Research Interests

My research is focused on how to best evaluate cognition as it relates to daily functioning. Paper and pencil tests done in clinic do not always fully evaluate how thinking and memory problems can affect someone's day-to-day function. I hope to validate a new type of assessment that directly evaluates daily activities that require higher levels of cognitive function. In the future, I hope to work on developing non-pharmacologic treatments for cognitive impairment that focus on improving independence and functionality, such as an exercise program that also involves cognitive training.

Teaching

  • Associate Program Director, Behavior Neurology & Neuropsychiatry Fellowship (2018)
    School of Medicine, Neurology
  • Program Director, Behavior Neurology & Neuropsychiatry Fellowship (2022)
    School of Medicine, Neurology

Publications

  • Holden SK, Bedenfield N, Taylor AS, Bayram E, Schwilk C, Fleisher J, Duda J, Shill H, Paulson HL, Stacy K, Wood J, Corsentino P, Sha SJ, Litvan I, Irwin DJ, Quinn JF, Goldman JG, Amodeo K, Taylor JP, Boeve BF, Armstrong MJ. Research Priorities of Individuals and Caregivers With Lewy Body Dementia: A Web-based Survey. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2023 Jan-Mar 01;37(1):50-58. PubMed PMID: 36821177
  • Chiu SY, Wyman-Chick KA, Ferman TJ, Bayram E, Holden SK, Choudhury P, Armstrong MJ. Sex differences in dementia with Lewy bodies: Focused review of available evidence and future directions. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2023 Feb;107:105285. PubMed PMID: 36682958
  • Wylie KP, Kluger BM, Medina LD, Holden SK, Kronberg E, Tregellas JR, Buard I. Hippocampal, basal ganglia and olfactory connectivity contribute to cognitive impairments in Parkinson's disease. Eur J Neurosci. 2023 Feb;57(3):511-526. PubMed PMID: 36516060
  • Holden SK, Bettcher BM, Filley CM, Lopez-Paniagua D, Pelak VS. Posterior white matter integrity and self-reported posterior cortical symptoms using the Colorado Posterior Cortical Questionnaire. Front Neurol. 2023;14:1072938. PubMed PMID: 36816576
  • Feuerstein J, Heffernan B, Holden SK, Sillau S, Berman BD. Social Cognition Deficits in Cervical Dystonia, but not Blepharospasm: Focal Dystonias Diverge. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2023 Aug;10(8):1231-1232. PubMed PMID: 37635782
  • Carlisle TC, Fought AJ, Olson KE, Lopez-Esquibel N, Simpson A, Medina LD, Holden SK. Original research: longitudinal evaluation of cognitively demanding daily function using performance-based functional assessment highlights heterogeneous trajectories in cognitive and functional abilities in people with Parkinson's disease. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1200347. PubMed PMID: 37434765
  • Thaker AA, McConnell BV, Rogers DM, Carlson NE, Coughlan C, Jensen AM, Lopez-Paniagua D, Holden SK, Pressman PS, Pelak VS, Filley CM, Potter H, Solano DA, Heffernan KS, Bettcher BM. Astrogliosis, neuritic microstructure, and sex effects: GFAP is an indicator of neuritic orientation in women. Brain Behav Immun. 2023 Oct;113:124-135. PubMed PMID: 37394144
  • Bayram E, Holden SK, Fullard M, Armstrong MJ. Race and Ethnicity in Lewy Body Dementia: A Narrative Review. J Alzheimers Dis. 2023;94(3):861-878. PubMed PMID: 37355902
  • Holden SK, Bedenfield N, Taylor AS, Bayram E, Schwilk C, Fleisher J, Duda J, Shill H, Paulson HL, Stacy K, Wood J, Corsentino P, Sha SJ, Litvan I, Irwin DJ, Quinn JF, Goldman JG, Amodeo K, Taylor JP, Boeve BF, Armstrong MJ. Research Priorities of Individuals and Caregivers With Lewy Body Dementia: A Web-based Survey. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2023 Jan-Mar 01;37(1):50-58. PubMed PMID: 36821177
  • Holden SK, Bettcher BM, Filley CM, Lopez-Paniagua D, Pelak VS. Posterior white matter integrity and self-reported posterior cortical symptoms using the Colorado Posterior Cortical Questionnaire. Front Neurol. 2023;14:1072938. PubMed PMID: 36816576
  • Chiu SY, Wyman-Chick KA, Ferman TJ, Bayram E, Holden SK, Choudhury P, Armstrong MJ. Sex differences in dementia with Lewy bodies: Focused review of available evidence and future directions. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2023 Feb;107:105285. PubMed PMID: 36682958
  • Wylie KP, Kluger BM, Medina LD, Holden SK, Kronberg E, Tregellas JR, Buard I. Hippocampal, basal ganglia and olfactory connectivity contribute to cognitive impairments in Parkinson's disease. Eur J Neurosci. 2023 Feb;57(3):511-526. PubMed PMID: 36516060
  • Holden SK, Pelak VS, Sooy T, Heffernan KS, McConnell BV, Pressman PS, Bettcher BM. Development of the Colorado posterior cortical questionnaire within an Alzheimer's disease study cohort. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2022 Apr;44(3):226-236. PubMed PMID: 35913095
  • Goldman JG, Holden SK. Cognitive Syndromes Associated With Movement Disorders. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2022 Jun 1;28(3):726-749. PubMed PMID: 35678400
  • Buard I, Lopez-Esquibel N, Carey FJ, Brown MS, Medina LD, Kronberg E, Martin CS, Rogers S, Holden SK, Greher MR, Kluger BM. Does Prefrontal Glutamate Index Cognitive Changes in Parkinson's Disease?. Front Hum Neurosci. 2022;16:809905. PubMed PMID: 35496064
  • Pelak VS, Paez YM, Patnaik JL, Holden SK, Subramanian PS, Mathias MT, Mandava N, Lynch AM. An Exploratory Study to Investigate the Utility of Clinical Screening for Neurodegenerative Disease in Age-Related Eye Disease Research. J Neuroophthalmol. 2022 Sep 1;42(3):346-352. PubMed PMID: 35483065
  • Holden SK, Domen CH, Sillau S, Liu Y, Leehey MA. Higher Risk, Higher Reward? Self-Reported Effects of Real-World Cannabis Use in Parkinson's Disease. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2022 Apr;9(3):340-350. PubMed PMID: 35392299
  • Kletenik I, Holden SK, Sillau SH, O'Connell N, MacGillivray L, Mack J, Haddock B, Ashworth Dirac M, David AS, Nicholson TR, Attaripour Isfahani SN, Maurer CW, Lidstone SC, Hallett M, LaFaver K, Berman BD, Stone J. Gender disparity and abuse in functional movement disorders: a multi-center case-control study. J Neurol. 2022 Jun;269(6):3258-3263. PubMed PMID: 35098346
  • Simon OB, Rojas DC, Ghosh D, Yang X, Rogers SE, Martin CS, Holden SK, Kluger BM, Buard I. Profiling Parkinson's disease cognitive phenotypes via resting-state magnetoencephalography. J Neurophysiol. 2022 Jan 1;127(1):279-289. PubMed PMID: 34936515
  • Holden SK, Pelak VS, Sooy T, Heffernan KS, McConnell BV, Pressman PS, Bettcher BM. Development of the Colorado posterior cortical questionnaire within an Alzheimer's disease study cohort. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 2022 Apr;44(3):226-236. PubMed PMID: 35913095
  • Goldman JG, Holden SK. Cognitive Syndromes Associated With Movement Disorders. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2022 Jun 1;28(3):726-749. PubMed PMID: 35678400
  • Buard I, Lopez-Esquibel N, Carey FJ, Brown MS, Medina LD, Kronberg E, Martin CS, Rogers S, Holden SK, Greher MR, Kluger BM. Does Prefrontal Glutamate Index Cognitive Changes in Parkinson's Disease?. Front Hum Neurosci. 2022;16:809905. PubMed PMID: 35496064
  • Pelak VS, Paez YM, Patnaik JL, Holden SK, Subramanian PS, Mathias MT, Mandava N, Lynch AM. An Exploratory Study to Investigate the Utility of Clinical Screening for Neurodegenerative Disease in Age-Related Eye Disease Research. J Neuroophthalmol. 2022 Sep 1;42(3):346-352. PubMed PMID: 35483065
  • Holden SK, Domen CH, Sillau S, Liu Y, Leehey MA. Higher Risk, Higher Reward? Self-Reported Effects of Real-World Cannabis Use in Parkinson's Disease. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2022 Apr;9(3):340-350. PubMed PMID: 35392299
  • Kletenik I, Holden SK, Sillau SH, O'Connell N, MacGillivray L, Mack J, Haddock B, Ashworth Dirac M, David AS, Nicholson TR, Attaripour Isfahani SN, Maurer CW, Lidstone SC, Hallett M, LaFaver K, Berman BD, Stone J. Gender disparity and abuse in functional movement disorders: a multi-center case-control study. J Neurol. 2022 Jun;269(6):3258-3263. PubMed PMID: 35098346
  • Simon OB, Rojas DC, Ghosh D, Yang X, Rogers SE, Martin CS, Holden SK, Kluger BM, Buard I. Profiling Parkinson's disease cognitive phenotypes via resting-state magnetoencephalography. J Neurophysiol. 2022 Jan 1;127(1):279-289. PubMed PMID: 34936515
  • Lattanzio L, Seames A, Holden SK, Buard I. The emergent relationship between temporoparietal junction and anosognosia in Alzheimer's disease. J Neurosci Res. 2021 Sep;99(9):2091-2096. PubMed PMID: 34131953
  • Scott GD, Arnold MR, Beach TG, Gibbons CH, Kanthasamy AG, Lebovitz RM, Lemstra AW, Shaw LM, Teunissen CE, Zetterberg H, Taylor AS, Graham TC, Boeve BF, Gomperts SN, Graff-Radford NR, Moussa C, Poston KL, Rosenthal LS, Sabbagh MN, Walsh RR, Weber MT, Armstrong MJ, Bang JA, Bozoki AC, Domoto-Reilly K, Duda JE, Fleisher JE, Galasko DR, Galvin JE, Goldman JG, Holden SK, Honig LS, Huddleston DE, Leverenz JB, Litvan I, Manning CA, Marder KS, Pantelyat AY, Pelak VS, Scharre DW, Sha SJ, Shill HA, Mari Z, Quinn JF, Irwin DJ. Fluid and Tissue Biomarkers of Lewy Body Dementia: Report of an LBDA Symposium. Front Neurol. 2021;12:805135. PubMed PMID: 35173668
  • Simon OB, Buard I, Rojas DC, Holden SK, Kluger BM, Ghosh D. A novel approach to understanding Parkinsonian cognitive decline using minimum spanning trees, edge cutting, and magnetoencephalography. Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 5;11(1):19704. PubMed PMID: 34611218
  • Buard I, Lattanzio L, Stewart R, Thompson S, Sjoberg K, Hookstadt K, Morrow M, Holden SK, Sillau S, Thaut M, Kluger B. Randomized controlled trial of neurologic music therapy in Parkinson's disease: research rehabilitation protocols for mechanistic and clinical investigations. Trials. 2021 Aug 28;22(1):577. PubMed PMID: 34454592
  • Macchi ZA, Kletenik I, Olvera C, Holden SK. Psychiatric Comorbidities in Functional Movement Disorders: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2021 Jul;8(5):725-732. PubMed PMID: 34307745
  • Medina LD, Heffernan K, Holden S, Simpson A, Bettcher BM. Neural correlates of daily function: A pilot study of the white matter retrogenesis hypothesis and three separate performance-based functional assessments. Neuropsychology. 2021 Jan;35(1):103-110. PubMed PMID: 33393804
  • Scott GD, Arnold MR, Beach TG, Gibbons CH, Kanthasamy AG, Lebovitz RM, Lemstra AW, Shaw LM, Teunissen CE, Zetterberg H, Taylor AS, Graham TC, Boeve BF, Gomperts SN, Graff-Radford NR, Moussa C, Poston KL, Rosenthal LS, Sabbagh MN, Walsh RR, Weber MT, Armstrong MJ, Bang JA, Bozoki AC, Domoto-Reilly K, Duda JE, Fleisher JE, Galasko DR, Galvin JE, Goldman JG, Holden SK, Honig LS, Huddleston DE, Leverenz JB, Litvan I, Manning CA, Marder KS, Pantelyat AY, Pelak VS, Scharre DW, Sha SJ, Shill HA, Mari Z, Quinn JF, Irwin DJ. Fluid and Tissue Biomarkers of Lewy Body Dementia: Report of an LBDA Symposium. Front Neurol. 2021;12:805135. PubMed PMID: 35173668
  • Holden SK, Bettcher BM, Pelak VS. Update on posterior cortical atrophy. Curr Opin Neurol. 2020 Feb;33(1):68-73. PubMed PMID: 31688098
  • Holden SK, Van Dok E, Pelak VS. Co-occurrence of Convergence Insufficiency and Cognitive Impairment in Parkinsonian Disorders: A Pilot Study. Front Neurol. 2019;10:864. PubMed PMID: 31447772
  • Holden SK, Sheffler J, Stewart R, Thompson S, Persson J, Finseth T, Sillau S, Kluger BM. Feasibility of Home-Based Neurologic Music Therapy for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: A Pilot Study. J Music Ther. 2019 Aug 13;56(3):265-286. PubMed PMID: 31346625
  • Holden SK, Koljack CE, Prizer LP, Sillau SH, Miyasaki JM, Kluger BM. Measuring quality of life in palliative care for Parkinson's disease: A clinimetric comparison. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2019 Aug;65:172-177. PubMed PMID: 31253494
  • Peterson B, Armstrong M, Galasko D, Galvin JE, Goldman J, Irwin D, Paulson H, Kaufer D, Leverenz J, Lunde A, McKeith IG, Siderowf A, Taylor A, Amodeo K, Barrett M, Domoto-Reilly K, Duda J, Gomperts S, Graff-Radford N, Holden S, Honig L, Huddleston D, Lippa C, Litvan I, Manning C, Marder K, Moussa C, Onyike C, Pagan F, Pantelyat A, Pelak V, Poston K, Quinn J, Richard I, Rosenthal LS, Sabbagh M, Scharre D, Sha S, Shill H, Torres-Yaghi Y, Christie T, Graham T, Richards I, Koehler M, Boeve B. Lewy Body Dementia Association's Research Centers of Excellence Program: Inaugural Meeting Proceedings. Alzheimers Res Ther. 2019 Mar 13;11(1):23. PubMed PMID: 30867052
  • Holden SK, Sheffler J, Stewart R, Thompson S, Persson J, Finseth T, Sillau S, Kluger BM. Feasibility of Home-Based Neurologic Music Therapy for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: A Pilot Study. J Music Ther. 2019 Aug 13;56(3):265-286. PubMed PMID: 31346625
  • Holden SK, Finseth T, Sillau SH, Berman BD. Progression of MDS-UPDRS Scores Over Five Years in De Novo Parkinson Disease from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative Cohort. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2018 Jan-Feb;5(1):47-53. PubMed PMID: 29662921
  • Goldman JG, Holden SK, Litvan I, McKeith I, Stebbins GT, Taylor JP. Evolution of diagnostic criteria and assessments for Parkinson's disease mild cognitive impairment. Mov Disord. 2018 Apr;33(4):503-510. PubMed PMID: 29488270
  • Kluger BM, Persenaire MJ, Holden SK, Palmer LT, Redwine H, Berk J, Anderson CA, Filley CM, Kutner J, Miyasaki J, Carter J. Implementation issues relevant to outpatient neurology palliative care. Ann Palliat Med. 2018 Jul;7(3):339-348. PubMed PMID: 29307208
  • Holden SK, Medina LD, Hoyt B, Sillau SH, Berman BD, Goldman JG, Weintraub D, Kluger BM. Validation of a performance-based assessment of cognitive functional ability in Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord. 2018 Nov;33(11):1760-1768. PubMed PMID: 30306618
  • Holden SK, Jones WE, Baker KA, Boersma IM, Kluger BM. Outcome measures for Parkinson's disease dementia: a systematic review. Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2016 Jan-Feb;3(1):9-18. PubMed PMID: 26998505
  • Goldman JG, Holden S, Ouyang B, Bernard B, Goetz CG, Stebbins GT. Diagnosing PD-MCI by MDS Task Force criteria: how many and which neuropsychological tests?. Mov Disord. 2015 Mar;30(3):402-6. PubMed PMID: 25449653
  • Forrest KM, Foulds N, Millar JS, Sutherland PD, Pappachan VJ, Holden S, Mein R, Hopkins PM, Jungbluth H. RYR1-related malignant hyperthermia with marked cerebellar involvement - a paradigm of heat-induced CNS injury?. Neuromuscul Disord. 2015 Feb;25(2):138-40. PubMed PMID: 25466363
  • Goldman JG, Holden S. Treatment of psychosis and dementia in Parkinson's disease. Curr Treat Options Neurol. 2014 Mar;16(3):281. PubMed PMID: 24464490
  • Goldman JG, Holden S, Bernard B, Ouyang B, Goetz CG, Stebbins GT. Defining optimal cutoff scores for cognitive impairment using Movement Disorder Society Task Force criteria for mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord. 2013 Dec;28(14):1972-9. PubMed PMID: 24123267
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Professional Memberships

  • American Academy of Neurology, Member
  • International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society, Member
  • Colorado Society of Clinical Neurologists, Member
  • American Neuropsychiatric Association, Member
  • Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, Member

Practice Locations

CU Memory Disorders Clinic - Central Park
3055 Roslyn Street
Suite 120
Denver, CO 80238
720-848-2080

Hospital Affiliation
  • University of Colorado Hospital
Center Affiliations

Specialty Information

Specialties
  • Neurology, Board Certification (2014)
  • Behavioral Neurology
  • Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, Board Certification (2016)
Conditions & Treatments
  • Brain and Nervous System - Alzheimer's Disease
  • Brain and Nervous System
  • Brain and Nervous System - Movement Disorders
  • Brain and Nervous System - Parkinson's Disease
Clinical Interests
I am interested in conditions that present with symptoms affecting both cognition and movement, such as Parkinson's disease dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Alzheimer's disease with parkinsonism. I have fellowship training in both Movement Disorders and Behavioral Neurology, which has laid the foundation for these interests.

Care Philosophy
I hope to ensure that my patients are living their best life possible, even in the face of a chronic neurologic disease. I emphasize the importance of physical exercise, diet, social activities, and cognitively stimulating activity to not only improve quality of life, but to help delay the progression of the neurodegenerative diseases I treat.

Personal Interests
I enjoy reading historical fiction, especially anything that focuses on Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Public Speaking
Yes
I enjoy speaking to support groups, especially about cognitive and other non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. I have given several lectures for the Parkinson Association of the Rockies.

General Information

Medical Schools:
  • MD, The School of Medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center (2010)
Graduate Schools:
  • MSCS, University of Colorado Denver (2018)
Undergraduate Schools:
  • BS, New York University (NY) (2006)
Internships:
  • Rush University Medical Center Program (2011)
Residency Programs:
  • Rush University Medical Center Program, Chief Resident, Neurology (2014)
Fellowships:
  • University of Colorado, Movement Disorders; Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry (2017)
Languages: English
Department: Neurology
Contact Us
CU Anschutz
Fitzsimons Building

13001 East 17th Place
Campus Box C290
Aurora, CO 80045

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