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Sleep quality and heart health may be affected negatively by electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted by telecommunication devices, and a decline in sleep quality may lead to neurological disorders such as anxiety and depression. There are multiple products that claim to improve sleep quality by blocking exposure to EMF. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of one such product called “SleepGift” blanket on sleep quality and heart health. This single-blind cross-over study analyzes the sleep study data collected from healthy participants (13 to date). Participants were provided with real and sham SleepGift blankets during two blocks of the study, and their sleep quality data were recorded. Participants slept at the Sleep Research Lab using the assigned (real/sham) blanket for block 1 pre-intervention. They committed to using the blanket at home for the next 10 consecutive nights’ then, using the same blanket, slept at the lab for post-intervention recording. The same procedure was repeated for block 2 after the washout period with the other reversed (sham/real) blanket. The collected data were analyzed. The changes observed from the Wilcoxon-rank sum test in sleep quality, heart rate variability, and Katz fractal dimension of the EEG data over night have shown to be insignificant so far. The inconclusive results of the data could be due to small sample size of the study; however, one participant showed improvement and claimed to be EMF sensitive. Ideally, recruiting such participants could be extremely challenging. A larger data set is recommended to achieve robust conclusion about the efficacy of SleepGift blanket.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is used as a non-invasive neuroimaging technique for studying the neural dynamics within the human brain. This study uses fNIRS to explore how transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) affects cognitive function in people with dementia including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). By measuring changes in blood oxygenation levels, fNIRS provides a valuable means to capture plausible post-treatment alterations in cerebral hemodynamics. Previous studies have shown individuals with dementia exhibit increased oxygen consumption during verbal fluency tasks. This suggested that they might require greater effort to compensate for cognitive deficits. Therefore, it is hypothesized that tACS intervention will potentially alleviate this increased oxygen consumption by enhancing cognitive function, resulting in reduced oxyhemoglobin level post-treatment amongst those who respond positively to tACS treatment. To investigate this hypothesis, this research involved a comprehensive examination of 29 individuals with dementia, who received both real (40 Hz) and sham tACS treatment in a double-blind cross-over randomized trial. Each tACS intervention was paired with cognitive exercises (CE) on a daily basis in two 30-minute sessions for four consecutive weeks (excluding weekends) (tACS+CE). To reduce treatment effects between intervention, each participant had a 2-5 month wash-out period between treatments. Study participants were assigned into two groups using their age and cognitive level as the stratification parameters. One group received real tACS first and sham second (R1S2), and the other group’s real/sham assignment was the opposite (S1R2). An eight-channel fNIRS device was utilized to measure blood oxygenation levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) before and after each treatment block, during a mental task (word production and subtraction tasks). The results of this work are in support of our hypothesis that patients with dementia

This research aims to propose a design and fabrication process for a novel miniaturized electrode which can be potentially exploited to record EVestG signals and ear electrical activity from the middle inner parts, including semicircular canals and otolith organs, by an extra-tympanic electrode. This thesis covers EVestG signal recording, its currently used electrode, and the associated current challenges, followed by a review of micro-fabrication techniques, including Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) conventional fabrication techniques (sputtering), 3Dprinting micro-fabrication technologies (Stereo-lithography or SLA), and Bio-MEMS electrode fabrication for new electrodes design with their associated technical challenges. It also presents some methodologies to cope with the challenges in our design, studying their feasibility. Then, it adopts one of the presented methodologies, which seem more feasible regarding our accessible facilities and resources. The methodology was chosen for a new needle-electrode design (potentially for EVestG recording) and it was fabricated using various technologies such as air-actuation using medical balloons, Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB), 3D-printing, and MEMS fabrication. The fabrication process, from basic steps to the latest developments, is reported illustratively. Finally, the performance of the designed and fabricated micro-needle electrodes from impedance against pressure variation is investigated via some in-vitro experiments. The experiments demonstrate impedance reduction of the fabricated plastic silver-sputtered SLA-3D-printed micro-needle electrodes as the pressure increases.

This research aims to propose a design and fabrication process for a novel miniaturized electrode which can be potentially exploited to record EVestG signals and ear electrical activity from the middle inner parts, including semicircular canals and otolith organs, by an extra-tympanic electrode. This thesis covers EVestG signal recording, its currently used electrode, and the associated current challenges, followed by a review of micro-fabrication techniques, including Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) conventional fabrication techniques (sputtering), 3Dprinting micro-fabrication technologies (Stereo-lithography or SLA), and Bio-MEMS electrode fabrication for new electrodes design with their associated technical challenges. It also presents some methodologies to cope with the challenges in our design, studying their feasibility. Then, it adopts one of the presented methodologies, which seem more feasible regarding our accessible facilities and resources. The methodology was chosen for a new needle-electrode design (potentially for EVestG recording) and it was fabricated using various technologies such as air-actuation using medical balloons, Flexible Printed Circuit Board (FPCB), 3D-printing, and MEMS fabrication. The fabrication process, from basic steps to the latest developments, is reported illustratively. Finally, the performance of the designed and fabricated micro-needle electrodes from impedance against pressure variation is investigated via some in-vitro experiments. The experiments demonstrate impedance reduction of the fabricated plastic silver-sputtered SLA-3D-printed micro-needle electrodes as the pressure increases.

Synapse organisers are crucial players in synapse development and maintenance. Neurexins are the master regulators of synapse formation. They are presynaptic proteins that connect the two neurons and facilitate signal transmission. Deletion or mutations causing altered neurexin expression has been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia (SCZ), epilepsy, and other neurological or psychiatric disorders. In this study, I investigated a relatively understudied but well-expressed isoform of neurexin. Since neurexins are linked with ASD and SCZ, I performed a comprehensive behavioural study on a mouse model lacking the specific isoform of neurexin and littermate wildtype (WT) mice. The behavioural tests included open field test (OFT), buried food test, visual cliff test, elevated plus maze (EPM), Crawley's three-chamber test, novel object recognition (NOR), Barnes maze (BM), and contextual fear conditioning (CFC). Mice lacking the specific isoform of neurexin displayed deficits in social memory, social novelty preference, and spatial memory compared to WT mice, which are core symptoms of ASD and SCZ, but had normal object recognition memory and fear memory. In addition, both genotypes displayed normal locomotor activity, anxiety-related behaviours, visual perception, and olfaction. Thus, the results indicate that specific neurexin isoforms may contribute to regulating social behaviour and spatial memory.

Synapse organisers are crucial players in synapse development and maintenance. Neurexins are the master regulators of synapse formation. They are presynaptic proteins that connect the two neurons and facilitate signal transmission. Deletion or mutations causing altered neurexin expression has been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia (SCZ), epilepsy, and other neurological or psychiatric disorders. In this study, I investigated a relatively understudied but well-expressed isoform of neurexin. Since neurexins are linked with ASD and SCZ, I performed a comprehensive behavioural study on a mouse model lacking the specific isoform of neurexin and littermate wildtype (WT) mice. The behavioural tests included open field test (OFT), buried food test, visual cliff test, elevated plus maze (EPM), Crawley's three-chamber test, novel object recognition (NOR), Barnes maze (BM), and contextual fear conditioning (CFC). Mice lacking the specific isoform of neurexin displayed deficits in social memory, social novelty preference, and spatial memory compared to WT mice, which are core symptoms of ASD and SCZ, but had normal object recognition memory and fear memory. In addition, both genotypes displayed normal locomotor activity, anxiety-related behaviours, visual perception, and olfaction. Thus, the results indicate that specific neurexin isoforms may contribute to regulating social behaviour and spatial memory.

Respiratory sound analysis offers critical and clear advantages for diagnosis and monitoring of respiratory disorders. Yet, the recording technology available today remains relatively undeveloped and non-specialized. Standard high-quality audio recording systems often do not capture the low-frequency spectrum of respiratory sounds; not to mention such equipment typically has high associated costs. Contributing to the issue is a lack of standardization of equipment used; hence, what follows is a large variability of the recordings and the inability to effectively compare results between different recording systems. The objective of the following presented work was to design and build an electronic audio recording device along with microphone and suitable air-chamber to be placed over the trachea or lung for capturing respiratory breathing sounds. Design objectives included maintaining a cost-effective, portable, and small form-factor for the device as well as compatibility with our team’s patented obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnostic algorithms to detect for the severity of OSA during either overnight sleep or wakefulness. All desired objectives for the design were able to be realized in a compact, cost-effective, and highly accurate device. When reviewing the tracheal breathing sound recordings conducted with the device, the results identify signal content, albeit low amplitude, past 5 kHz up to 9 kHz; that indicates the previous cut-off point of many precursory studies might not have been adequate for capturing the entire characteristic features of tracheal respiratory sounds.

The integration of visual and vestibular information is an example of multisensory processing commonly applied to our daily life. The undeniable role of visual inputs in compensation, restoration, and adaptation for vestibular deficiency has been addressed in several studies. However, current literature fails to objectively measure vestibular responses following a targeted visual stimulus. In the studies of this thesis, using Electrovestibulography (EVestG), we measured participants’ vestibular activity from the ear canals in response to targeted visual stimuli, developed in immersive virtual reality (VR) environments, delivered through a head-mounted display (HMD), quantitatively and non-invasively. This dissertation consists of four sub-studies: 1. Quantifying the difference between physically (applied via a hydraulic chair)- and visually (replicas of the physical tilts designed in a VR environment)-induced vestibular responses; 2. Investigating vestibular responses to the combined and individual effects of intensity and hue of three monochromatic colored-light stimuli (blue, green, red); 3. Investigating changes in the vestibular activity when exposed to a horizontal pursuit and saccadic eye movements; and 4. Investigating vestibular responses to the visually-evoked sensation of body movement (Vection) utilizing a VR roller-coaster. Overall from the four sub-studies mentioned above, we conclude that different visual stimuli can produce a measurably different vestibular response (measured by EVestG) depending on the VR environments’ characteristics (object motion, color, etc.). As long as the applied visual stimuli do not induce a self-motion sensation, the vestibular response is generally inhibitory (sub-studies 2 and 3). Upon feeling a self-motion sensation, the vestibular response may become an excitatory response (sub-study 4). To better understand the implications of these results, future studies should address the effect of other factors in the field of view

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent yet underdiagnosed respiratory health disorder. Assessment of OSA is currently based on sleep studies that are time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, developing technologies for quick OSA screening is momentous. The upper airways (UA) structural and physiological changes alter the tracheal breathing sounds (TBS) characteristics. The main objectives of this thesis are to investigate 1) whether the differences in TBS characteristics during wakefulness and their changes from wakefulness to sleep correlate with the severity of OSA and 2) whether different feature selection and classification methods over TBS can enhance the current algorithms. Accordingly, we have implemented advanced signal processing, machine learning, and statistical techniques on TBS data of individuals with non-OSA to severe OSA recorded during wakefulness and a short period of sleep. In TBS analysis, commonly, a considerable number of features are extracted from data. A major challenge in high-dimensional data analysis is related to classification and prediction of the variables of interest by building parsimonious models and removing variables that do not add any information to our model. We evaluated and compared the performance of the Random Forest (RF) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Regularized Logistic Regression, as non-parametric and parametric feature selection and classification approaches, respectively, for OSA screening during wakefulness. Moreover, we analyzed and compared the spectral characteristics of TBS during wakefulness and sleep, and also from wakefulness to sleep in individuals with different OSA severity levels. The main outcomes of this work are: 1) confirming our hypothesis that the TBS characteristics during wakefulness and their variations from wakefulness to sleep correlate with the OSA severity and could reveal the structural changes of UA regarding OSA and its severity in a detailed but straigh

Respiratory sound analysis offers critical and clear advantages for diagnosis and monitoring of respiratory disorders. Yet, the recording technology available today remains relatively undeveloped and non-specialized. Standard high-quality audio recording systems often do not capture the low-frequency spectrum of respiratory sounds; not to mention such equipment typically has high associated costs. Contributing to the issue is a lack of standardization of equipment used; hence, what follows is a large variability of the recordings and the inability to effectively compare results between different recording systems. The objective of the following presented work was to design and build an electronic audio recording device along with microphone and suitable air-chamber to be placed over the trachea or lung for capturing respiratory breathing sounds. Design objectives included maintaining a cost-effective, portable, and small form-factor for the device as well as compatibility with our team’s patented obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnostic algorithms to detect for the severity of OSA during either overnight sleep or wakefulness. All desired objectives for the design were able to be realized in a compact, cost-effective, and highly accurate device. When reviewing the tracheal breathing sound recordings conducted with the device, the results identify signal content, albeit low amplitude, past 5 kHz up to 9 kHz; that indicates the previous cut-off point of many precursory studies might not have been adequate for capturing the entire characteristic features of tracheal respiratory sounds.

The integration of visual and vestibular information is an example of multisensory processing commonly applied to our daily life. The undeniable role of visual inputs in compensation, restoration, and adaptation for vestibular deficiency has been addressed in several studies. However, current literature fails to objectively measure vestibular responses following a targeted visual stimulus. In the studies of this thesis, using Electrovestibulography (EVestG), we measured participants’ vestibular activity from the ear canals in response to targeted visual stimuli, developed in immersive virtual reality (VR) environments, delivered through a head-mounted display (HMD), quantitatively and non-invasively. This dissertation consists of four sub-studies: 1. Quantifying the difference between physically (applied via a hydraulic chair)- and visually (replicas of the physical tilts designed in a VR environment)-induced vestibular responses; 2. Investigating vestibular responses to the combined and individual effects of intensity and hue of three monochromatic colored-light stimuli (blue, green, red); 3. Investigating changes in the vestibular activity when exposed to a horizontal pursuit and saccadic eye movements; and 4. Investigating vestibular responses to the visually-evoked sensation of body movement (Vection) utilizing a VR roller-coaster. Overall from the four sub-studies mentioned above, we conclude that different visual stimuli can produce a measurably different vestibular response (measured by EVestG) depending on the VR environments’ characteristics (object motion, color, etc.). As long as the applied visual stimuli do not induce a self-motion sensation, the vestibular response is generally inhibitory (sub-studies 2 and 3). Upon feeling a self-motion sensation, the vestibular response may become an excitatory response (sub-study 4). To better understand the implications of these results, future studies should address the effect of other factors in the field of view

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent yet underdiagnosed respiratory health disorder. Assessment of OSA is currently based on sleep studies that are time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, developing technologies for quick OSA screening is momentous. The upper airways (UA) structural and physiological changes alter the tracheal breathing sounds (TBS) characteristics. The main objectives of this thesis are to investigate 1) whether the differences in TBS characteristics during wakefulness and their changes from wakefulness to sleep correlate with the severity of OSA and 2) whether different feature selection and classification methods over TBS can enhance the current algorithms. Accordingly, we have implemented advanced signal processing, machine learning, and statistical techniques on TBS data of individuals with non-OSA to severe OSA recorded during wakefulness and a short period of sleep. In TBS analysis, commonly, a considerable number of features are extracted from data. A major challenge in high-dimensional data analysis is related to classification and prediction of the variables of interest by building parsimonious models and removing variables that do not add any information to our model. We evaluated and compared the performance of the Random Forest (RF) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Regularized Logistic Regression, as non-parametric and parametric feature selection and classification approaches, respectively, for OSA screening during wakefulness. Moreover, we analyzed and compared the spectral characteristics of TBS during wakefulness and sleep, and also from wakefulness to sleep in individuals with different OSA severity levels. The main outcomes of this work are: 1) confirming our hypothesis that the TBS characteristics during wakefulness and their variations from wakefulness to sleep correlate with the OSA severity and could reveal the structural changes of UA regarding OSA and its severity in a detailed but straigh

Many older adults experience memory, cognition and executive functioning impairments. A mild decline in cognition could be due to normal aging, while a moderate to advance decline could be due to dementia and in particular its Alzheimer’s disease subtype. One of the cognitive functions being impaired by Alzheimer’s is spatial cognition; an ability to navigate and orient in any new environment. Deficits in one’s spatial cognition have considerable negative impact on one’s quality of life and activities of daily living. Recently, the application of serious games as means for cognitive training to improve the brain’s lost functions has emerged significantly. The design of these serious programs is based on the neuroplasticity of the brain, with the purpose of targeting the brain’s impaired functions and improving them with repeated cognitive training. In this thesis, a driving simulator was designed in an immersive virtual reality environment (VRDS) with different levels of difficulty to be used as a serious game for improving older adults’ spatial cognition. We evaluated the effects of training with the VRDS on 11 volunteers with different cognitive status (range = 19, 21.1±5.9). Participants were trained with the VRDS for two weeks, every day except weekends (10 sessions of practice in total) and for 30 min/day. We used a virtual replica of the standard Morris water test as an independent assessment, to assess the participants’ spatial cognition before and after the two-week training intervention. Furthermore, through defining a spatial learning score, we evaluated the spatial performance of the participants and their progress in the game’s trials. Moreover, we evaluated the participants’ level of depression and their plausible simulation sickness using standard questionnaires at baseline and post-intervention. The results of the Morris water test demonstrated a significant improvement in participants’ spatial cognition; their normalized correct trajectory for findin

Dementia in general and Alzheimer Disease in particular are one of the most challenging health conditions in our century. Experiencing cognitive decline, resulting in relying on others for daily living activities and impairment in basic mental tasks are the main symptoms. There are yet no proven treatments to slow or prevent Alzheimer's Disease or dementia progression; thus, Alzheimer's patients eventually need full-time care. To help patients to stay at their own home longer and ease the caregiver burden, Smart Assistive Technology (SAT) products may be beneficial. One of the basic activities that Alzheimer's patients in particular need help with, are basic hygiene needs such as brushing their teeth. In this thesis, a smart toothbrush has been designed and implemented as a pilot study towards development of an SAT for basic hygiene functions of Alzheimer's patients. The design includes hardware and software. The hardware includes 9-Axis (gyro, accelerometer, compass) motion sensor, temperature sensor, individually addressable red, green, blue (RGB) light emitting diodes (LEDs), voice module and other electrical components, while the software includes real-time monitoring of several dependent and independent tasks using a parallel algorithm to assist the users. The real-time monitoring system of the designed prototype assists the users by visual and auditory means. It is anticipated the designed prototype will assist people with dementia, and hopefully prolong the time they can be cared for at home; it may also be used for oral hygiene education and instruction in general.

Many older adults experience memory, cognition and executive functioning impairments. A mild decline in cognition could be due to normal aging, while a moderate to advance decline could be due to dementia and in particular its Alzheimer’s disease subtype. One of the cognitive functions being impaired by Alzheimer’s is spatial cognition; an ability to navigate and orient in any new environment. Deficits in one’s spatial cognition have considerable negative impact on one’s quality of life and activities of daily living. Recently, the application of serious games as means for cognitive training to improve the brain’s lost functions has emerged significantly. The design of these serious programs is based on the neuroplasticity of the brain, with the purpose of targeting the brain’s impaired functions and improving them with repeated cognitive training. In this thesis, a driving simulator was designed in an immersive virtual reality environment (VRDS) with different levels of difficulty to be used as a serious game for improving older adults’ spatial cognition. We evaluated the effects of training with the VRDS on 11 volunteers with different cognitive status (range = 19, 21.1±5.9). Participants were trained with the VRDS for two weeks, every day except weekends (10 sessions of practice in total) and for 30 min/day. We used a virtual replica of the standard Morris water test as an independent assessment, to assess the participants’ spatial cognition before and after the two-week training intervention. Furthermore, through defining a spatial learning score, we evaluated the spatial performance of the participants and their progress in the game’s trials. Moreover, we evaluated the participants’ level of depression and their plausible simulation sickness using standard questionnaires at baseline and post-intervention. The results of the Morris water test demonstrated a significant improvement in participants’ spatial cognition; their normalized correct trajectory for findin

Dementia in general and Alzheimer Disease in particular are one of the most challenging health conditions in our century. Experiencing cognitive decline, resulting in relying on others for daily living activities and impairment in basic mental tasks are the main symptoms. There are yet no proven treatments to slow or prevent Alzheimer's Disease or dementia progression; thus, Alzheimer's patients eventually need full-time care. To help patients to stay at their own home longer and ease the caregiver burden, Smart Assistive Technology (SAT) products may be beneficial. One of the basic activities that Alzheimer's patients in particular need help with, are basic hygiene needs such as brushing their teeth. In this thesis, a smart toothbrush has been designed and implemented as a pilot study towards development of an SAT for basic hygiene functions of Alzheimer's patients. The design includes hardware and software. The hardware includes 9-Axis (gyro, accelerometer, compass) motion sensor, temperature sensor, individually addressable red, green, blue (RGB) light emitting diodes (LEDs), voice module and other electrical components, while the software includes real-time monitoring of several dependent and independent tasks using a parallel algorithm to assist the users. The real-time monitoring system of the designed prototype assists the users by visual and auditory means. It is anticipated the designed prototype will assist people with dementia, and hopefully prolong the time they can be cared for at home; it may also be used for oral hygiene education and instruction in general.

Following a mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), there can be neuropathological changes in the brain resulting in permanent or transient neurological symptoms and signs of a functional disturbance. The persistence of these symptoms for more than one month is usually referred to as Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS). PCS severity usually increases when comorbid depression exists. Moreover, the diagnosis of PCS might be overlooked in favour of a diagnosis of depression due to the overlap in the symptoms of the two pathologies. This study, for the first time, presents staged research to evaluate a novel technology, called Electrovestibulography (EVestG), that holds the potential to objectively and cost-effectively be utilized as an assistive tool to diagnose PCS, its comorbid depression and quantitatively measure the recovery from PCS and its sequelae following a treatment. In the first stage of this research, two EVestG features were extracted from the recorded signals to distinguish PCS from age and gender-matched healthy controls. These two features resulted in an unbiased classification accuracy of 84% and 79% for separating healthy controls from PCS sufferers and for separating long (>3 months) and short-term (<3 months) PCS sufferers, respectively. Secondly, it was shown that the calculated accuracy for separating PCS from healthy controls can be affected when comorbid depression exists. By adding an EVestG depression-specific feature from a previous study, the calculated accuracy was improved from 83% to >90% for those with moderate/severe depression. Then, it was shown EVestG features could monitor recovery following repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) treatment for PCS with and without comorbid depression. Additionally, the EVestG features used have shown the potential to robustly detect and monitor changes, relatively independently, in both persistent PCS and in depression when comorbid PCS-depression present. Finally, the effect of mTBI on other s

Following a mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), there can be neuropathological changes in the brain resulting in permanent or transient neurological symptoms and signs of a functional disturbance. The persistence of these symptoms for more than one month is usually referred to as Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS). PCS severity usually increases when comorbid depression exists. Moreover, the diagnosis of PCS might be overlooked in favour of a diagnosis of depression due to the overlap in the symptoms of the two pathologies. This study, for the first time, presents staged research to evaluate a novel technology, called Electrovestibulography (EVestG), that holds the potential to objectively and cost-effectively be utilized as an assistive tool to diagnose PCS, its comorbid depression and quantitatively measure the recovery from PCS and its sequelae following a treatment. In the first stage of this research, two EVestG features were extracted from the recorded signals to distinguish PCS from age and gender-matched healthy controls. These two features resulted in an unbiased classification accuracy of 84% and 79% for separating healthy controls from PCS sufferers and for separating long (>3 months) and short-term (<3 months) PCS sufferers, respectively. Secondly, it was shown that the calculated accuracy for separating PCS from healthy controls can be affected when comorbid depression exists. By adding an EVestG depression-specific feature from a previous study, the calculated accuracy was improved from 83% to >90% for those with moderate/severe depression. Then, it was shown EVestG features could monitor recovery following repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) treatment for PCS with and without comorbid depression. Additionally, the EVestG features used have shown the potential to robustly detect and monitor changes, relatively independently, in both persistent PCS and in depression when comorbid PCS-depression present. Finally, the effect of mTBI on other s

Alzheimer’s disease causes a significant burden to both society and individuals. As life expectancy increases worldwide, any potential mechanisms to help mitigate the effects of this disease will be highly desirable. This document presents a body of work relating to Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) as a possible treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The results of a pilot study investigating potential cognitive benefits of rTMS in this population are presented. The pilot study achieved statistically significant results using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), and a long term follow up study showed a generally slower decline than expected for participants receiving treatment. A review and discussion of possible confounding effects of simultaneous depression treatment is presented. Additionally, a simulated model of a standard TMS coil was analyzed to determine occupational safety limits from electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure for an operator while holding the coil to determine if this practice is safe. Using this model, published exposure guidelines are exceeded at 24.6 cm from the coil compared with 70 cm previously accepted. When an operator holds the coil, the electric field in the hand of an operator has an average strength of 9.9 V/m and a peak strength of 88.5 V/m. However, since the only known effects of EMF exposure in this frequency band are acute peripheral nerve stimulation, it is recommended that holding the coil during application should be considered safe. Finally, an investigation of potential improvements in energy efficiency in rTMS systems is presented using a simulated model. Various geometric parameters such as radius, width, thickness, and number of turns are varied and the results are discussed, along with square coil and ferromagnetic core configurations. Coils are compared at fixed output strength by varying stimulator capacitance. Square coil configurations are found to be more efficient than round coils, ferromagneti

Alzheimer’s disease causes a significant burden to both society and individuals. As life expectancy increases worldwide, any potential mechanisms to help mitigate the effects of this disease will be highly desirable. This document presents a body of work relating to Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) as a possible treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The results of a pilot study investigating potential cognitive benefits of rTMS in this population are presented. The pilot study achieved statistically significant results using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), and a long term follow up study showed a generally slower decline than expected for participants receiving treatment. A review and discussion of possible confounding effects of simultaneous depression treatment is presented. Additionally, a simulated model of a standard TMS coil was analyzed to determine occupational safety limits from electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure for an operator while holding the coil to determine if this practice is safe. Using this model, published exposure guidelines are exceeded at 24.6 cm from the coil compared with 70 cm previously accepted. When an operator holds the coil, the electric field in the hand of an operator has an average strength of 9.9 V/m and a peak strength of 88.5 V/m. However, since the only known effects of EMF exposure in this frequency band are acute peripheral nerve stimulation, it is recommended that holding the coil during application should be considered safe. Finally, an investigation of potential improvements in energy efficiency in rTMS systems is presented using a simulated model. Various geometric parameters such as radius, width, thickness, and number of turns are varied and the results are discussed, along with square coil and ferromagnetic core configurations. Coils are compared at fixed output strength by varying stimulator capacitance. Square coil configurations are found to be more efficient than round coils, ferromagneti

This thesis presents the application of two novel associative memory exercises on twelve cognitively healthy elderly and two females suspected of suffering dementia between 70 to 90 years of age during 8 consecutive weeks (3 sessions/week). Also eleven age-matched control volunteers participated in the study but not in the memory exercises. All participants’ memory and mental condition were assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Wechsler Memory Scale. Both assessments were administered at the baseline, immediately after, and again one month afterwards of the end of the 8-week exercise regime. Control participants were also assessed twice by these two measures, 8 weeks apart. The results show that, on average, the memory and mental state of the Exercising Group improved significantly over the exercise program compared with those of the Control Group. The results suggest that our designed associative memory exercises are effective for cognitive state improvement of older adults.

This thesis presents the application of two novel associative memory exercises on twelve cognitively healthy elderly and two females suspected of suffering dementia between 70 to 90 years of age during 8 consecutive weeks (3 sessions/week). Also eleven age-matched control volunteers participated in the study but not in the memory exercises. All participants’ memory and mental condition were assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Wechsler Memory Scale. Both assessments were administered at the baseline, immediately after, and again one month afterwards of the end of the 8-week exercise regime. Control participants were also assessed twice by these two measures, 8 weeks apart. The results show that, on average, the memory and mental state of the Exercising Group improved significantly over the exercise program compared with those of the Control Group. The results suggest that our designed associative memory exercises are effective for cognitive state improvement of older adults.