Sanford H. Auerbach, MD

Associate Professor of Neurology

  • Title Associate Professor of Neurology
  • Office Shapiro Building, 725 Albany St., 7th floor, Boston, MA 02118
  • Phone 617-638-8456
  • Education Medical School: New York Medical College, New York (1975)
    Residency: Boston Medical Center/Boston Veterans Administration Medical Center, Boston, MA (1980)
    Fellowship: Neurobehavioral Aphasia, BVAMC, Boston, MA (1980)

Sanford H. Auerbach, MD completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He earned his medical degree at New York Medical College and completed his medical internship at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He then moved to the Boston University School of Medicine where he completed his training in Neurology and went on to complete a fellowship in Behavioral Neurology. After, Dr. Auerbach joined the faculty of the Department of Neurology. For a period of time, he devoted part of his efforts to neurorehabilitation and managed the brain injury unit at Braintree Hospital, in addition to developing a clinical program for Alzheimer’s disease at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Auerbach directed all of his efforts to activities at Boston Medical Center and the School of Medicine. He also developed an interest in sleep medicine and became the director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Boston Medical Center. 

He currently serves as Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program Director.

Board Certifications: Neurology, Sleep Medicine
Special Interests: Sleep, Behavioral Neurology, Dementia

Selected Publications

Qiu S, Joshi PS, Miller MI, Xue C, Zhou X, Karjadi C, Chang GH, Joshi AS, Dwyer B, Zhu S, Kaku M, Zhou Y, Alderazi YJ, Swaminathan A, Kedar S, Saint-Hilaire MH, Auerbach SH, Yuan J, Sartor EA, Au R, Kolachalama VB. Development and validation of an interpretable deep learning framework for Alzheimer’s disease classification. Brain. 2020 Jun 01; 143(6):1920-1933.

Ding H, An N, Au R, Devine S, Auerbach SH, Massaro J, Joshi P, Liu X, Liu Y, Mahon E, Ang TF, Lin H. Exploring the Hierarchical Influence of Cognitive Functions for Alzheimer Disease: The Framingham Heart Study. J Med Internet Res. 2020 Apr 23; 22(4):e15376.

Brooks C, Shaafi Kabiri N, Mortazavi F, Auerbach S, Bonato P, Erb MK, Czech M, Karlin D, Rolph T, Bhangu J, Thomas K. Variations in rest-activity rhythm are associated with clinically measured disease severity in Parkinson’s disease. Chronobiol Int. 2020 Jan 21; 1-13.

Zhu H, Tao Q, Ang TFA, Massaro J, Gan Q, Salim S, Zhu RY, Kolachalama VB, Zhang X, Devine S, Auerbach SH, DeCarli C, Au R, Qiu WQ. Association of Plasma Amylin Concentration With Alzheimer Disease and Brain Structure in Older Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 08 02; 2(8):e199826.

Ang TFA, An N, Ding H, Devine S, Auerbach SH, Massaro J, Joshi P, Liu X, Liu Y, Mahon E, Au R, Lin H. Using data science to diagnose and characterize heterogeneity of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 2019; 5:264-271.

Lin SH, Branson C, Leung J, Park L, Doshi N, Auerbach SH. Oximetry as an Accurate Tool for Identifying Moderate to Severe Sleep Apnea in Patients With Acute Stroke. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018 12 15; 14(12):2065-2073.

Tao Q, Ang TFA, DeCarli C, Auerbach SH, Devine S, Stein TD, Zhang X, Massaro J, Au R, Qiu WQ. Association of Chronic Low-grade Inflammation With Risk of Alzheimer Disease in ApoE4 Carriers. JAMA Netw Open. 2018 10 05; 1(6):e183597.

Pase MP, Himali JJ, Grima NA, Beiser AS, Satizabal CL, Aparicio HJ, Thomas RJ, Gottlieb DJ, Auerbach SH, Seshadri S. Author response: Sleep architecture and the risk of incident dementia in the community. Neurology. 2018 Mar 6;90(10):487. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000005047.

Pase MP, Westwood AJ, Beiser A, Jain N, DeCarli C, Himali JJ, Auerbach SH, Seshadri S. Author response: Prolonged sleep duration as a marker of early neurodegeneration predicting incident dementia. Neurology. 2017 Oct 3;89(14):1533. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004555.

Spector AR, Loriaux D, Alexandru D, Auerbach SH. The Influence of the Menstrual Phases on Polysomnography. Cureus. 2016 Nov 9;8(11):e871.

Tan ZS, Spartano NL, Beiser AS, DeCarli C, Auerbach SH, Vasan RS, Seshadri S. Physical Activity, Brain Volume, and Dementia Risk: The Framingham Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2017 Jun 1;72(6):789-795. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glw130.

Knopman DS, Beiser A, Machulda MM, Fields J, Roberts RO, Pankratz VS, Aakre J,   Rocca WA, Mielke MM, Boeve BF, Devine S, Ivnik RJ, Au R, Auerbach S, Wolf PA, Seshadri S, Petersen RC. Spectrum of cognition short of dementia: Framingham Heart Study and Mayo Clinic Study of Aging. Neurology. 2015 Nov 10;85(19):1712-21.

Modestino EJ, Blum K, Oscar-Berman M, Gold MS, Duane DD, Sultan SG, Auerbach SH. Reward Deficiency Syndrome: Attentional/Arousal Subtypes, Limitations of Current Diagnostic Nosology, and Future Research. J Reward Defic Syndr. 2015;1(1):6-9.


Brass SD, Li CS, Auerbach S. The underdiagnosis of sleep disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis. J Clin Sleep Med. 2014 Sep 15;10(9):1025-31.

Westwood AJ, Spector AR, Auerbach SH. CPAP treats muscle cramps in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med. 2014 Jun 15;10(6):691-2.

Kaur B, Himali JJ, Seshadri S, Beiser AS, Au R, McKee AC, Auerbach S, Wolf PA, DeCarli CS. Association between neuropathology and brain volume in the Framingham Heart Study. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2014 Jul-Sep;28(3):219-25.

Auerbach S, Walters AS. Restless legs syndrome: a predictor of lower physical function. Neurology. 2014 Apr 8;82(14):1198-9. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000000298. Epub 2014 Mar 5.

Pekkala S, Wiener D, Himali JJ, Beiser AS, Obler LK, Liu Y, McKee A, Auerbach S, Seshadri S, Wolf PA, Au R. Lexical retrieval in discourse: an early indicator of Alzheimer’s dementia. Clin Linguist Phon. 2013 Dec;27(12):905-21. doi: 10.3109/02699206.2013.815278. Epub 2013 Aug 28.

Vendrame M, Jackson S, Syed S, Kothare SV, Auerbach SH. Central sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea in patients with epilepsy. Sleep Breath. 2014 Mar;18(1):119-24. doi: 10.1007/s11325-013-0858-8. Epub 2013 May 1.

Vendrame M, Yang B, Jackson S, Auerbach SH. Insomnia and epilepsy: a questionnaire-based study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2013 Feb 1;9(2):141-6.

Ahl RE, Beiser A, Seshadri S, Auerbach S, Wolf PA, Au R. Defining MCI in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring: education versus WRAT-based norms. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2013 Oct-Dec;27(4):330-6.

Westwood AJ, Vendrame M, Montouris G, Auerbach SH. Pearls & oy-sters: treatment of central sleep apnea with topiramate. Neurology. 2012 Apr 17;78(16):e97-9.

Au R, Seshadri S, Knox K, Beiser A, Himali JJ, Cabral HJ, Auerbach S, Green RC, Wolf PA, McKee AC. The Framingham Brain Donation Program: neuropathology along the cognitive continuum. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2012 Jul;9(6):673-86.

Vendrame M, Auerbach S, Loddenkemper T, Kothare S, Montouris G. Effect of continuous positive airway pressure treatment on seizure control in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2011 Nov;52(11):e168-71.

McNamara P, Pace-Schott EF, Johnson P, Harris E, Auerbach S. Sleep architecture and sleep-related mentation in securely and insecurely attached people. Attach Hum Dev. 2011 Mar;13(2):141-54.

Aurora RN, Zak RS, Karippot A, Lamm CI, Morgenthaler TI, Auerbach SH, Bista SR, Casey KR, Chowdhuri S, Kristo DA, Ramar K; American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Practice parameters for the respiratory indications for polysomnography in children. Sleep. 2011 Mar 1;34(3):379-88.

Aurora RN, Casey KR, Kristo D, Auerbach S, Bista SR, Chowdhuri S, Karippot A, Lamm C, Ramar K, Zak R, Morgenthaler TI; American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Practice parameters for the surgical modifications of the upper airway for obstructive sleep apnea in adults. Sleep. 2010 Oct;33(10):1408-13. Review.

McNamara P, Johnson P, McLaren D, Harris E, Beauharnais C, Auerbach S. REM and NREM sleep mentation. Int Rev Neurobiol. 2010;92:69-86.

Aurora RN, Zak RS, Auerbach SH, Casey KR, Chowdhuri S, Karippot A, Maganti RK, Ramar K, Kristo DA, Bista SR, Lamm CI, Morgenthaler TI; Standards of Practice Committee; American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Best practice guide for the treatment of nightmare disorder in adults. J Clin Sleep Med. 2010 Aug 15;6(4):389-401.

Seshadri S, Fitzpatrick AL, Ikram MA, DeStefano AL, Gudnason V, Boada M, Bis JC, Smith AV, Carassquillo MM, Lambert JC, Harold D, Schrijvers EM, Ramirez-Lorca R, Debette S, Longstreth WT Jr, Janssens AC, Pankratz VS, Dartigues JF, Hollingworth P, Aspelund T, Hernandez I, Beiser A, Kuller LH, Koudstaal PJ, Dickson DW, Tzourio C, Abraham R, Antunez C, Du Y, Rotter JI, Aulchenko YS, Harris TB, Petersen RC, Berr C, Owen MJ, Lopez-Arrieta J, Varadarajan BN, Becker JT, Rivadeneira F, Nalls MA, Graff-Radford NR, Campion D, Auerbach S, Rice K, Hofman A, Jonsson PV, Schmidt H, Lathrop M, Mosley TH, Au R, Psaty BM, Uitterlinden AG, Farrer LA, Lumley T, Ruiz A, Williams J, Amouyel P, Younkin SG, Wolf PA, Launer LJ, Lopez OL, van Duijn CM, Breteler MM; CHARGE Consortium; GERAD1 Consortium; EADI1 Consortium. Genome-wide analysis of genetic loci associated with Alzheimer disease. JAMA. 2010 May 12;303(18):1832-40.

Blythe J, Doghramji PP, Jungquist CR, Landau MB, Valerio TD, Ancoli-Israel S, Auerbach SH. Screening & treating patients with sleep/wake disorders. JAAPA. 2009 Dec;Suppl Sleep:1-17; quiz 19. Review.

Aurora RN, Zak RS, Maganti RK, Auerbach SH, Casey KR, Chowdhuri S, Karippot A, Ramar K, Kristo DA, Morgenthaler TI; Standards of Practice Committee; American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Best practice guide for the treatment of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). J Clin Sleep Med. 2010 Feb 15;6(1):85-95. Erratum in: J Clin Sleep Med. 2010 Apr 15;6(2):table of contents.

Nair AK, Gavett BE, Damman M, Dekker W, Green RC, Mandel A, Auerbach S, Steinberg E, Hubbard EJ, Jefferson A, Stern RA. Clock drawing test ratings by dementia specialists: interrater reliability and diagnostic accuracy. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2010 Winter;22(1):85-92.

Huang MP, Radadia K, Macone BW, Auerbach SH, Datta S. Effects of eszopiclone and zolpidem on sleep-wake behavior, anxiety-like behavior and contextual memory in rats. Behav Brain Res. 2010 Jun 26;210(1):54-66. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.02.018. Epub 2010 Feb 12.

Lieb W, Beiser AS, Vasan RS, Tan ZS, Au R, Harris TB, Roubenoff R, Auerbach S, DeCarli C, Wolf PA, Seshadri S. Association of plasma leptin levels with incident Alzheimer disease and MRI measures of brain aging. JAMA. 2009 Dec 16;302(23):2565-72. doi: 10.1001/jama.2009.1836.

Brass SD, Auerbach S. A sleepy patient with REM rebound. J Clin Sleep Med. 2009 Aug 15;5(4):386-9.

Brass SD, Duquette P, Proulx-Therrien J, Auerbach S. Sleep disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis. Sleep Med Rev. 2010 Apr;14(2):121-9. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2009.07.005. Epub 2009 Oct 29. Review.

McNamara P, Auerbach S, Johnson P, Harris E, Doros G. Impact of REM sleep on distortions of self-concept, mood and memory in depressed/anxious participants. J Affect Disord. 2010 May;122(3):198-207. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2009.06.030. Epub 2009 Jul 24.

Stavitsky K, McNamara P, Durso R, Harris E, Auerbach S, Cronin-Golomb A. Hallucinations, dreaming, and frequent dozing in Parkinson disease: impact of right-hemisphere neural networks. Cogn Behav Neurol. 2008 Sep;21(3):143-9. doi: 10.1097/WNN.0b013e318185e698.

Tan ZS, Beiser A, Vasan RS, Au R, Auerbach S, Kiel DP, Wolf PA, Seshadri S. Thyroid function and the risk of Alzheimer disease: the Framingham Study. Arch Intern Med. 2008 Jul 28;168(14):1514-20. doi: 10.1001/archinte.168.14.1514.

Datta S, Li G, Auerbach S. Activation of phasic pontine-wave generator in the rat: a mechanism for expression of plasticity-related genes and proteins in the dorsal hippocampus and amygdala. Eur J Neurosci. 2008 Apr;27(7):1876-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2008.06166.x. Epub 2008 Mar 26.

Gottlieb DJ, Chase C, Vezina RM, Heeren TC, Corwin MJ, Auerbach SH, Weese-Mayer DE, Lesko SM. Sleep-disordered breathing symptoms are associated with poorer cognitive function in 5-year-old children. J Pediatr. 2004 Oct;145(4):458-64.

Gottlieb DJ, Vezina RM, Chase C, Lesko SM, Heeren TC, Weese-Mayer DE, Auerbach SH, Corwin MJ. Symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing in 5-year-old children are associated with sleepiness and problem behaviors. Pediatrics. 2003 Oct;112(4):870-7.

Auerbach SH. Flex your brain! Like a muscle, the brain may need exercise to stay healthy. Health News. 2003 Aug;9(8):3.

Green RC, Cupples LA, Kurz A, Auerbach S, Go R, Sadovnick D, Duara R, Kukull WA, Chui H, Edeki T, Griffith PA, Friedland RP, Bachman D, Farrer L. Depression as a risk factor for Alzheimer disease: the MIRAGE Study. Arch Neurol. 2003 May;60(5):753-9.

Auerbach S, Karow CM. Neurobehavioral assessment of mood and affect in patients with neurological disorders. Semin Speech Lang. 2003 May;24(2):131-43. Review.

Auerbach SH. Alzheimer’s drugs deliver fringe benefits. Cholinesterase inhibitors improve more than just memory. Health News. 2003 Mar;9(3):1-2.

Rollinson DC, Rathlev NK, Moss M, Killiany R, Sassower KC, Auerbach S, Fish SS. The effects of consecutive night shifts on neuropsychological performance of interns in the emergency department: a pilot study. Ann Emerg Med. 2003 Mar;41(3):400-6.

McNamara P, Dowdall J, Auerbach S. Rem sleep, early experience, and the development of reproductive strategies. Hum Nat. 2002 Dec;13(4):405-35. doi: 10.1007/s12110-002-1001-x.

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