Digital Commons Network^™

Cognition And Motor Function: A Novel Outcome Measure For Studies On Pre-Dementia Syndromes, Jacqueline K. Kueper

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Advances in dementia research have shifted attention towards earlier stages in the natural history, such as Mild Cognitive Impairment. The current gold standard outcome measure, the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, is not optimally responsive to changes in pre-dementia populations. Modifications to scoring methodology and content have improved the measurement performance of the ADAS-Cog. However, no published modifications have addressed a second key shift in the field towards understanding motor function as an important component of dementia and pre-dementia syndromes. This thesis used a Pooled Index approach to combine an ADAS-Cog-Proxy measure with assessments of gait velocity and dual-task cost. …

Comparing The Influence Of Music Enjoyment And Beat Perception Ability On Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters Among Healthy Young And Older Adults, Brittany S. Roberts

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) involves synchronizing footsteps to music or a metronome thereby eliciting gait improvements in speed and stability among patients with Parkinson’s Disease. However, gait responses are inconsistent (Dalla Bella et al., 2017). Music enjoyment may influence gait responses, but exactly how it may do this has never been assessed. Moreover, individual differences in beat perception ability are likely to influence gait responses to music, particularly if instructed to synchronize to the beat. Here, we investigated whether music enjoyment influences gait, comparing responses based on beat perception ability (good vs poor) and instruction type (“walk freely” vs “synchronize …

Cognitive And Non-Cognitive Dysfunction In A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer's Disease, Wai-Jane V. Lee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Sensitive and translational tasks that efficiently and accurately assess cognitive function during pre-clinical trials would be useful in developing novel treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. The Bussey-Saksida touchscreens employ various tasks similar to those used in humans to effectively evaluate high-level cognitive and executive functions in mice. This face validity provides the best chance of successful cognitive translation across species.

In our study, donepezil had minor effects on the performance of 5xFAD mice in the 5-CSRTT, a touchscreen task evaluating attention. Additionally, 5xFAD mice do not demonstrate impairments in the PVD task, which assesses visual discrimination/ cognitive flexibility. However, …

Dual-Task Gait Assessment In Lower Extremity Amputees, Courtney A. Frengopoulos

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of these studies was to develop a reliable dual-task functional mobility protocol and investigate changes in dual-task performance over time in lower extremity amputees. Relative and absolute test-retest reliability of the protocol were evaluated across the population in a study consisting of three groups, with 20 participants per group. A pilot study of 16 participants investigated change in dual-task performance between discharge from rehabilitation and follow-up for both cognitively normal and cognitively impaired individuals. Gait was assessed by the developed protocol as well as an electronic walkway (GaitRITE®). All three groups in Study 1 had excellent relative test-retest …