Navia

R. Osvaldo Navia, MD

Division Chief of Geriatric, Palliative Medicine & Hospice & Grace Kinney Mead Endowed Chair of Geriatrics

Contact

Send an Email
Phone
304-293-0661
Fax
304-293-2544
Address
PO Box 9160
Department of Medicine
Division of Geriatrics, Palliative Medicine and Hospice
4th Floor HSCN, Room 4087
Morgantown, WV 26506
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Positions

Division Chief of Geriatric, Palliative Medicine & Hospice and Grace Kinney Mead Chair of Geriatrics
Associate Professor

Organization:
School of Medicine
Department:
Medicine
Classification:
Faculty

Education

  • MD, Universidad Mayor de San Francisco, Bolivia, 1997

Publications

Recent Selected Publications

Ubolrat Piamjariyakul, Stephanie Young, Angel Smothers, Sijin Wen, R. Osvaldo Navia, George Sokos, Ann E. Hendrickson, Peggy Fink, Diana Niland, Matthew Hottle, Angelo C. Giolzetti & Carol E. Smith. Study protocol of sustaining home palliative care for patients with Heart Failure (HF) and their family caregivers in rural Appalachia: a mixed methods randomized clinical trial. BMC Palliat Care 24, 56 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01680-y

 

Teixeira CVDL, Keith CM, Haut MW, Mehta R, Phelps H, Ward M, Miller M, Navia RO, Coleman MM, Marano GD, Wang X, Pockl S, Rajabalee N, McCuddy WT, D’Haese PF, Rezai AR, Wilhelmson K. Memory Consolidation, Brain Atrophy, and Metabolism in Amyloid Positive and Negative Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2025 Jan 9;20(Suppl 2):e089852. doi: 10.1002/alz.089852. PMCID: PMC11714650.

 

Michelle M Coleman, Marc W Haut, Camila Vieira de Ligo Teixeira, Cierra M Keith1 Rashi Mehta, Holly Phelps, Melanie Ward, Mark Miller, R. Osvaldo Navia, Gary D Marano, Xiaofei Wang, Stephanie Pockl, Nafiisah Rajabalee, William T McCuddy, Pierre-Francois D’Haese, Kirk Wilhelmson. The role of the insula predicting memory performance in Alzheimer’s disease amyloid positive and negative: a clinical cohort study. January 2025. Alzheimer's & Dementia 20(S2). DOI: 10.1002/alz.087942

 

Rashi I Mehta, Cierra M Keith, Camila Vieira Ligo Teixeira, Patrick D Worhunsky, Holly E Phelps, Melanie Ward, Mark Miller, R Osvaldo Navia, Stephanie Pockl, Nafiisah Rajabalee, Michelle M Coleman, Pierre-François D’Haese, Ali R Rezai, Kirk C Wilhelmsen, Marc W Haut, The early-onset Alzheimer’s disease MRI signature: a replication and extension analysis in early-stage AD, Cerebral Cortex, Volume 34, Issue 12, December 2024, bhae475, https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhae475

 

Keith CM, Haut MW, Vieira Ligo Teixeira C, Mehta RI, Phelps H, Ward M, Miller M, Navia RO, Coleman MM, Marano G, Wang X, Pockl S, Rajabalee N, Scarisbrick DM, McCuddy WT, D'Haese PF, Rezai A, Wilhelmsen K. Memory consolidation, temporal and parietal atrophy, and metabolism in amyloid-β positive and negative mild cognitive impairment. J Alzheimers Dis. 2024 Dec;102(3):778-791. doi: 10.1177/13872877241291223. Epub 2024 Oct 29. PMID: 39670736.

 

Piamjariyakul U, Young S, Hendrickson AE, Navia RO, Wang K, Smith CE. Palliative Home Care Based on Clinically Relevant Scientific Measures: A Cross-Sectional Study. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®. 2024;0(0). doi:10.1177/10499091241304728

Theeke, L.A.; Liu, Y.; Wang, S.; Luo, X.; Navia, R.O.; Xiao, D.; Xu, C.; Wang, K.; The Alzheimer and Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Plasma Proteomic Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: A Longitudinal Study. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 10751. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251910751

David M. Scarisbrick, Cierra M. Keith, Camila Vieira Ligo Teixeira, Rashi I. Mehta, Holly E. Phelps, Michelle M. Coleman, Melanie Ward, Mark Miller, Osvaldo Navia, Stephanie Pockl, Nafiisah Rajabalee, Gary Marano, Joseph Malone, Pierre F. D’Haese, Ali R. Rezai, Kirk Wilhelmsen & Marc W. Haut (14 Aug 2024): Executive function and cortical thickness in biomarker aMCI, Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2024.2389255

Keith CM, Lindberg KE, Wilhelmsen K, Mehta RI, Vieira Ligo Teixeira C, Miller M, Ward M, Navia RO, McCuddy WT, Miller L, Bryant K, Coleman M, D'Haese PF, Haut MW. Cortical Thickness Correlates of Go/No-go and Motor Sequencing in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Suspected Alzheimer Disease Dementia. Cogn Behav Neurol. 2024 Jul 29. doi: 10.1097/WNN.0000000000000376. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39069962.
 
Kirk C. Wilhelmsen, Pierre-François D’Haese, Marc W. Haut, Gary D. Marano, Rashi I. Mehta, Xiaofei Wang, Melanie Ward, Mark Miller, Umer Najib, R. Osvaldo Navia, Cierra M. Keith, Ali Rezai. Metabolism as a biomarker for treatment success in anti-amyloid therapy: A case report, Neuroimage: Reports, Volume 4, Issue 2, 2024, 100203, ISSN 2666-9560ISSN 2666-9560, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ynirp.2024.100203.
 
Mark Miller MD , Melanie Ward MD , Cierra Keith PhD , Vishal Patel DO , Marc Haut PhD , Kirk Wilhelmsen MD, PhD , Osvaldo Navia MD , Rashi Mehta MD , Gary Marano MD , Andriana Kiddy CNP. Managing Neurocognitive Disorders in the Real World: Optimizing Collaboration between Primary Care Providers and Dementia Specialists, The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: Open Science, Education, and Practice (April, 2024), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.osep.2024.04.001
 
Piamjariyakul U, Wang K, Smith M, Young S, Shafique S, Navia RO, Williams K. Family Caregiving of Patients with Heart Failure and Vascular Dementia in Rural Appalachia: A Mixed-Methods Study. Western Journal of Nursing Research. 2024;0(0). doi:10.1177/01939459241242536
 
Keith, C. Haut, M. D’Hase, P. Mehta, R. Vieira, C. Coleman M, Navia, RO. Marano, G. Linberg, K. Wilhelmsen, K. ‘More Similar Than Different: Memory, Executive Functions, Cortical Thickness, and Glucose Metabolism in Biomarker-Positive Alzheimer’s Disease and Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia’. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports. Vol 8, No 1, pp. 57-73, 2024. DOI: 10.3233/ADR-230049
 
Piamjariyakul U, McKenrick SR, Smothers A, Giolzetti A, Melnick H, Beaver M, Shafique S, Wang K, Carte KJ, Grimes B, Haut MW, Navia RO, Patrick JH, Wilhelmsen K. Developing, implementing, and evaluating the visiting Neighbors' program in rural Appalachia: A quality improvement protocol. PLoS One. 2024 Jan 2;19(1):e0296438. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296438. PMID: 38166130; PMCID: PMC10760886
 
Theeke L, Liu Y, Wang S, Navia RO, Xiao D, Xu C, Wang K. Longitudinal changes in proteomic biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease.  Innov Aging. 2023 Dec 21;7(Suppl 1):1158. doi: 10.1093/geroni/igad104.3715. PMCID: PMC10738482.
 
Xu C, Acevedo P, Lu Y, Su BB, Ozuna K, Padilla V, Karithara A, Mao C, Navia RO, Piamjariyakul U, Wang K; Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Racial differences in the effect of APOE-ε4 genotypes on trail making test B in Alzheimer's disease: A longitudinal study. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2023 Dec;38(12):e6037. doi: 10.1002/gps.6037. PMID: 38100638
 
Xu C, Xiao D, Su BB, Saveron JM, Gamez D, Navia RO, Wang N, Roy U, Adjeroh DA, Wang K; Alzheimer and Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Association of APOE gene with longitudinal changes of CSF amyloid beta and tau levels in Alzheimer's disease: racial differences. Neurol Sci. 2023 Sep 28. doi: 10.1007/s10072-023-07076-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37759100
 
Coleman MM, Keith CM, Wilhelmsen K, Mehta RI, Vieira Ligo Teixeira C, Miller M, Ward M, Navia RO, McCuddy WT, D'Haese P-F and Haut MW (2023) Surface-based correlates of cognition along the Alzheimer's continuum in a memory clinic population. Front. Neurol. 14:1214083. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.121408
 
Cierra M. Keith, William T. McCuddy, Katharine Lindberg, Liv E. Miller, Kirk Bryant, Rashi I. Mehta, Kirk Wilhelmsen, Mark Miller, R. Osvaldo Navia, Melanie Ward, Gerard Deib, Pierre-François D’Haese & Marc W Haut (2023) Procedural learning and retention relative to explicit learning and retention in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease using a modification of the trail making test, Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, 30:5, 669-686, DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2022.207729
 
Constantine L, DeCicco D, Carpenter RD, Pockl S, Seachrist KB, Navia RO. Healthcare Providers’ Experiences of Caring for Patients With COVID-19 Requiring Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support. American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®. 2023;0(0). doi:10.1177/10499091231178503
 
Cierra M. Keith, Marc W. Haut, Kirk Wilhelmsen, Rashi I. Mehta, Mark Miller, R. Osvaldo Navia, Melanie Ward, Katharine Lindberg, Michelle Coleman, William T. McCuddy, Gerard Deib, Angelo Giolzetti & Pierre-François D’Haese (2022) Frontal and temporal lobe correlates of verbal learning and memory in aMCI and suspected Alzheimer’s disease dementia, Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2022.2144618
 
Cierra M. Keith, William T. McCuddy, Katharine Lindberg, Liv E. Miller, Kirk Bryant, Rashi I. Mehta, Kirk Wilhelmsen, Mark Miller, R. Osvaldo Navia, Melanie Ward, Gerard Deib, Pierre-François D’Haese & Marc W Haut (2022) Procedural learning and retention relative to explicit learning and retention in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease using a modification of the trail making test, Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2022.207729
 
Navia, RO. MD; Constantine, Lori Anne DNP, FNP-BC, ACHPN Palliative care for patients with advanced dementia, Nursing: March 2022 - Volume 52 - Issue 3 - p 19-26 doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000820024.83629.ee

Baker Rogers JE, Thompson JM, Mupamombe CT, Vanin JM, Navia RO. Hospice Emergency Planning and COVID-19. Journal of Palliative Care. August 2021. doi:10.1177/08258597211037428

Wang K, Xu C, Smith A, Xiao D, Navia RO, Lu Y, Xie C, Piamjariyakul U; Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Genome-wide association study identified INSC gene associated with Trail Making Test Part A and Alzheimer's disease related cognitive phenotypes. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2021 Jul 2:110393. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110393. PMID: 34224794.

Shannon B, Rhomika D, Minta B, Haghnazar H, Navia RO.  Anticholinergic Burden and Hospital Delirium in an Appalachian University Hospital. J Aging Geriatr. 2021 May; Med 5:4.

Moss AH, Navia RO. Should we recommend dialysis for older patients with kidney failure and dementia? J Am Geriatr Soc. 2021 Apr;69(4):1105-1107. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17076. Epub 2021 Mar 5. PMID: 33666942.

Rogers JEB, Constantine LA, Thompson JM, Mupamombe CT, Vanin JM, Navia RO. COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on U.S. Hospice Agencies: A National Survey of Hospice Nurses and Physicians. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2021 May;38(5):521-527. doi: 10.1177/1049909121989987. Epub 2021 Jan 27. PMID: 33499673.

 

Additional Info

Membership and Honorary/Professional Societies

- 2019 – Present Member of the Alzheimer's Association

- 2018 – Present Member of The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine 

- 2009 – Present. Member of the American Medical Association.

- 2008 – Present. Member of The American Geriatrics Society.

- 2005 – Present. Member of The American Academy of Family Physicians

- 2002 – Present. Member of The Bolivian Scientific Medical Society.

- 1996 – 1997. Past-President, Latin America Council of Medical Students.

- 1996 – Gold Medal Award at The XI Bolivian Medical Students Scientific Congress. Sucre, Bolivia

- 1991 – Best Teaching Assistant Award, Universidad de San Francisco, School of Medicine. Sucre,  Bolivia

About R. Osvaldo Navia

Personal interests: Traveling, reading biographies, soccer and human rights

R. Osvaldo Navia, MD is Chief of the Division of Geriatrics, Palliative Medicine and Hospice at the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Medicine in Morgantown, West Virginia. In the School of Medicine at WVU, he holds an appointment as Associate Professor of Internal Medicine. Dr. Navia is also Grace Kinney Mead Endowed Chair of Geriatrics.

Dr. Navia earned his Doctorate of Medicine (M.D.) degree from Universidad de San Francisco Xavier in Bolivia. Dr. Navia trained in Family Medicine at New York Medical School and in Geriatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.  

Dr. Navia is board-certified in Geriatrics, Palliative Medicine and Family Medicine/Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine. Since completing his training, Dr. Navia has maintained a continuous practice in Geriatrics, Palliative Medicine and Hospital Medicine in different teaching settings.

Dr. Navia has devoted his academic career to integrate Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine to different medical specialties in different clinical scenarios. Dr. Navia helped to organize and lead multiple Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine Divisions/Sections in different states around USA.

Patient Care Information

Medical Specialties

  • Geriatrics
  • Palliative Care

Board Certifications

  • Family Medicine, American Board of Family Medicine
  • Geriatric Medicine, American Board of Family Medicine
  • Hospice and Palliative Medicine, American Board of Family Medicine

Special Training

  • Fellowship, Geriatrics Fellowship
    Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, 2009
  • Residency, Residency in Family Medicine
    New York Medical College at St. Joseph's Medical Center, 2008