What is this Study about?

Many older adults start to experience poorer sleep quality as they age, which can be associated with worse memory and cognition. Previous studies have shown that sleep can be improved when quiet sounds are presented at the right times during slow-wave sleep. We are interested in whether we can improve sleep and associated memory and cognitive function using these sounds in older adults. Information gathered from this study will be used to inform whether quiet sounds presented during slow-wave sleep can improve sleep, memory, and cognitive function.

What is this Study about?

This study is testing a digital reminder system for people living with dementia. The system sends alerts when daily routines change and collects feedback from caregivers. The goal is to improve the system’s design and usefulness. Results will help make reminder tools more supportive for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

What is this Study about?

We are conducting three separate studies to explore the effects of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease or Primary Progressive Aphasia. tDCS is a non-invasive therapy that uses low electrical currents to stimulate specific areas of the brain. Previous research has suggested that tDCS can improve symptoms such as language difficulties and may help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Our studies aim to investigate these effects in different contexts, including language therapy and overall mental abilities. Upon completion, participants will receive their study results to help guide their decisions about whether tDCS could be part of a long-term therapy plan.

What is this Study about?

The study involves a primary session of paper-and-pencil tasks, and a second session of a computer task, while your heart rate and brain activity is monitored. The aim of the study is to examine how signals are affected from the body to the brain.

What is this Study about?

In collaboration with our South Asian community collaborators, our goal is to gain an in-depth understanding of new immigrant, multigenerational, South Asian family caregiving for a relative with dementia amidst COVID-19. The goal is to inform future family-centered, healthcare interventions aimed at supporting equity deserving families during times of crisis.

To achieve our goal, we are starting to recruit family care partners living in a multigenerational home and caring for a relative with dementia from each of the four groups of South Asian families. We will be using a multiple case study to examine new immigrant, multigenerational caregiving for a relative with dementia from the perspective of four groups of South Asian families; 1) Pakistani, 2) Bangladeshi, 3) Indian, and 4) Sri Lankan. We will also be using secondary data sources, including genograms, ecoMaps, and key documents.

We will be conducting interviews with a family care partners from each of the four groups. Following these interviews, we will hold four focus groups with a new purposeful sample of South Asian multigenerational care partners to understand if the findings from the interviews reflect their caregiving experiences thereby increasing the reliability of the study findings.

What is this Study about?

The Communication Bridge 3 Study is focused on helping adults with mild to moderate Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), a condition that affects language abilities due to neurodegenerative diseases. The study aims to improve functional communication and life participation by providing structured language and communication support remotely through video conferencing.

Participants work with speech-language pathologists to practice communication techniques and learn strategies to address daily communication challenges. The study involves a series of therapy sessions, assessments, and follow-up evaluations to measure changes in communication and participation over time. By tracking participants' progress, the study hopes to identify effective approaches for enhancing quality of life for those living with PPA and their care partners.

What is this Study about?

The aim of this study is to develop a large, ethically sources, and diverse database of voice recordings to determine whether voice has biomarkers for particular disease categories, including neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions. The data that is collected will be used to develop a full open-access database to fuel artificial intelligence research related to voice.

What is this Study about?

To examine the effects of a stress management program on well-being, stress, and cognition in family caregivers of someone with dementia or a related neurodegenerative disorder. We will be recruiting participants from 2023 - 2027.

What is this Study about?

The aim of our study is to better understand whether certain lifestyle factors (such as physical activity and hearing) are related to early changes in memory and thinking abilities in older adults. We are especially interested in enrolling individuals who are South Asian or East Asian, because little research has focused on brain health in Canadians of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds.

By participating, you will help us better understand how lifestyle factors are related to memory and thinking changes in adults from diverse communities. We hope that this will lead to improved prevention and early intervention strategies for dementia.