Under the supervision of Dr. William J. Tippett, a new UNBC research lab—called the Brain Research Unit—is now operational. The Brain Research Unit is dedicated to examining effects of dementia related diseases, specifically, Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
The unit will be actively recruiting individuals with AD to participant in training programs that are designed to address the concerns related to mobility and cognitive impairment. In addition, the Brain Research Unit will also be actively involved in examining the effects of stroke related deficits with the goal of evaluating and developing effective rehabilitative programs that can be accessed and administered to individuals with limited access to resources. One of the primary goals of this unit is to educate the community and provide them with support and information that allows them to make effective judgments about their care.
Please see the website for more information: http://blogs.unbc.ca/cognitiveneuroscience.
Researcher Bios:
William J. Tippett
Education
- Postdoctoral Cognitive Neurology Fellow: LC Campbell Cognitive Neurology Research Unit, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Fellowship supervisor and current research collaborator: Dr. Sandra Black
- PhD - York University - Kinesiology and Health Science, Specializing in Neuroscience. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- M.Sc. - University of Essex - Cognitive Neuropsychology. Colchester, UK.
Research Interest
My research interest involves exploring the use of a non-invasive psychophysical testing procedure to detect cognitive decline in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and Cerebrovascular disease. To assist in this evaluation I examine the relationship between visuomotor ability, cognitive variables and brain changes observable using modern neuroimaging methods.
In addition, I conduct research examining the ability of post stroke individuals to produce effective visually guided movements. Specifically, I am examining lesions predominantly within the right hemisphere as identified through neuroradiological findings. The examination of individuals with focal lesions may provide insight into the brain behaviour correlates utilized in visuospatial performance. Furthermore, this procedure can indicate whether individuals that are significantly beyond a stroke episode have developed compensatory abilities to complete certain tasks.
Current research will involve focusing on ways in combating Alzheimer’s disease and dementia related illness via Cognitive Training Programs. More specifically, the goal is to examine the potential of visuospatial and visuomotor training procedure to induce effective change and improve quality of life for patients and their caregivers.
Tammy Klassen-Ross (PhD Student)
My general research interest lies in the area of neurodegenerative disorders within geriatric populations, and the effects such disorders have on acute and/or chronic pain experiences. Research has shown that as a person ages, they will experience increasingly more acute and chronic pain events. Elderly people suffering from dementia not only have an increase in noxious events, but they also experience altered pain responses. Due to cognitive impairments, this population is often unable to convey their level of pain accurately. The inability to express their level of pain could lead to the mismanagement and mistreatment of both acute and chronic pain in this vulnerable population.
In the past, my research focused on acute pain reactions to noxious stimuli in non-verbal groups; however, this line of research did not encompass the neurological processes involved in pain perception. Currently, I am researching how the degenerative effects of Alzheimer’s disease may alter pain perception. Research has demonstrated that one of the primary pain systems, the medial pain system which is involved in pain motivation and emotion, is often one of the first areas damaged during the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Information obtained from this type of research may provide insight into early Alzheimer’s disease detection.
Mira Rizkalla (Masters Student)
I am interested in the study of neurodegenerative disorders at the integrative level. To date, my research efforts have focused on the cognitive repercussions of stroke and dementia utilizing concurrent clinical, neuropsychological and neuroimaging measures. Guided by brain-behaviour relationships and imaging technology, I am involved in exploring the role of a psychophysical procedure to detecting cognitive decline in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrovascular disease. These investigative tools allow one to study age related differences in visuomotor tasks and may assist in monitoring the course of diseases in response to new therapies. Information obtained from this type of research may also provide insight into early diagnosis of dementia, ultimately leading to early interventions that can be used to slow decline and aid cognitive recovery from the disease. I am particularly focused on improving real-life deficits, as they are often not readily apparent in standard neuropsychological or neurological examinations. Rapid advancement in neurology has made this information increasingly important as new treatments are becoming available for individuals with dementia.
