Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Investigating The Role Of Targeted Memory Reactivation In Sleep Spindle Production, Justin W. Hopper

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In ‘targeted memory reactivation’ (TMR) paradigms, information learned during wakefulness is paired with a cue, and reactivated during sleep by presenting that same cue. TMR improves memory. In a prior study (Antony et al., 2012), participants learned two melodies. One melody was cued during a nap, and performance was better than for the uncued melody. The current study reanalyzed these data to characterize sleep spindle density during TMR cue-periods relative to non-cued periods, and whether spindle density correlated with performance. During TMR stimulation, spindle density was significantly higher than during non-stimulation in four time windows. Compared to the non-TMR group, …

The Functional And Structural Consequences Of Aberrant Microglial Activity In Major Depressive Disorder, Jasmine D. Cakmak

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly debilitating neuropsychiatric illness which has been linked with increases in both peripheral and central inflammation, as well as with changes in connectivity. Although countless studies have investigated these two topics, the relationship between neuroinflammation and functional/structural connectivity has not been explored. Using [¹⁸F]FEPPA PET imaging, we measured translocator protein-related (TSPO) microglial activity in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) and insula and confirmed significantly increased [¹⁸F]FEPPA uptake in depressed patients (N=12) compared to healthy controls (N=23). Using a seed-based ROI analysis of fMRI data, we found that patients show …

Inter-Subject Correlation Using Movie-Driven Fmri In Drug-Resistant Epilepsy, Hana H. Abbas

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Treating drug-resistant epilepsy with surgery requires the localization of the epileptic focus. We explored the potential for movie-driven functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to act as a sensitive, non-invasive, and cost-effective tool to identify functionally disturbed networks. We assessed neural synchronization (inter-subject correlation; ISC) between presurgical epilepsy patients (n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 24) as they watched a suspenseful movie clip in the scanner. To optimize denoising, we compared ISC values with and without an automated Independent Components Analysis-based denoising step (ICA-AROMA). We found that denoising with ICA-AROMA elicited augmented correlation values, supporting its use …

Why Do People Engage In Eating Disorder Behaviours?, Abbigail Kinnear

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental illnesses often with poor prognosis. Personalizing evidence-based treatments based on an individual’s reasons for engaging in ED behaviours – or the functions of EDs – may improve treatment outcomes; however, no validated measures assessing these functions exist. The goal of this study was to complete the initial steps in developing a measure of ED functions. Individuals who engage in ED behaviours (n = 16) and clinicians who treat EDs (n = 14) were interviewed, and a thematic analysis was conducted to determine key functions of EDs. Four main functions of EDs were …

Interplay Between Shift Work, Psychological Distress, Sleep Quality, And Cognitive Performance, Rea Therese Alonzo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Shift work schedules are designed to maintain a continuous operation of goods and services. However, engaging in shift work may impact cognitive functioning. This thesis assessed the relationship between shift work and cognitive performance. Using cross-sectional data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the association between shift work and cognitive performance, as well as the moderating effects of psychological distress and sleep quality. Differences by sex and retirement status were also investigated. Shift work was significantly associated with poor performance for executive functioning but not for declarative memory. Poorer cognitive performance …

Exploring The Mental Health Experiences Of African, Caribbean, And Black Youth In London, Ontario, Lily Yosieph

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This qualitative study explores the mental health experiences of African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) youth in London, Ontario, investigating how the factors of race, gender, culture, and place have shaped their perceptions and experiences of mental health. The data collection and analysis were conducted using a phenomenological approach and a critical lens informed by feminist, intersectionality, and critical race theories. These data illuminate the ways in which these young people’s attitudes toward mental health and help-seeking strategies are impacted by broader social constructs and community expectations, which they navigate and often resist in their everyday lives. Their insights can provide …

The Experiences Of Iraqi Refugees In Canada: A Life History Study Of War And Resilience In The Aftermath Of Migration, Nada Nessan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis reports on a life history narrative on the experiences of Iraqi refugees who resettled in Canada after living through war. The aim of this study is to help change the narrow perspectives on the mental health of war affected populations to a broader perception shaped by cultural and social aspects and to inform the development of meaningful and cultural relevant programs and policies with a particular attention to the concept of resilience.

The first part of the study presents the chronological narratives, or profiles. of eight participants. The second part of the study is a thematic discussion of …