Combating Declines in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Disease Through Recent Neurological Technologies

Olivia Oldaker*, Scott Galster, Ph.D.
Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505

Presentation Category: Health Sciences (Poster presentation)

Student’s Major: Sports and Exercise Psychology

Nearly 1 in 6 of the world’s population suffer from neurological disorders and have detrimental declines in brain function. Parkinson’s Disease (PD), a disease that invades nerve cells in the basal ganglia and the substantia nigra, is one that commonly comes to mind. Most patients with PD experience shaking, stiffness, and balance and coordination problems, which gradually worsen over time. Alzheimer’s (AD) is another common neurological disease that people experience. The disease is rooted in the hippocampus and can move into the cerebral cortex in later stages. These patients experience memory loss, challenges in problem solving, confusion, and difficulty in completing everyday tasks. Over time, the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) has developed, utilized and researched technologies that can help combat these mental and physical declines in patients. HumanTrak and DARI movement assessment technologies have showed progression in PD and other technologies like Dynavision have helped AD patients. HumanTrak uses a 3D camera with wearable inertial sensors to help assess movements of patients, while DARI movement uses a 3D kinematic and kinetic motion analysis without the use of sensors. Dynavision aids in combating perceptual motor decline by initiating brain fitness. It evaluates and trains visual, cognitive and motor functions. There have also been studies with the Oura Ring which monitors heart rate, movement, and temperature for example. Lastly, if these do not achieve the desired results, clinical procedures can be used as a last resort. These include a focused ultrasound treatments, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS).

Funding: Not funded

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course