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  • Observational Study
    Online & In-Person

    Sensory Processing in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease

    What is this Study about?

    We are interested in how the brain changes in aging and with dementia. With this study, we will investigate how the brain senses and interprets sights and sounds. We are particularly interested in how listening to music, especially familiar music, evokes emotions and activates vivid memories. Learning how the brain processes music will help us understand why music therapy is such an effective tool for those with Alzheimer’s. We also aim to understand how the brain combines sights and sounds. This is an important part of how we navigate complex everyday situations, such as walking down a busy street. Alzheimer’s disease interferes with the brain’s ability to combine information from different senses, which could cause challenges in daily living.

    Eligibility Criteria

    You are eligible to participate in this study if you are:

    • A healthy young adult aged 18-35, a healthy older adult aged 65 and up, or an older adult with mild/early-stage dementia as diagnosed by your doctor
    • Able to provide written, informed consent to participate
    • Have normal or corrected-to-normal hearing in both ears and vision in both eyes
    • You must have no history of cerebro-vascular injury or accident (such as a stroke)
    • For adults without dementia, you must have no known neurological conditions and must not be taking any neuroactive drugs

    You will not be eligible to participate in the study if you:

    • Have metallic objects that cannot be removed for the MEG recording (such as permanent piercings and medical implants that are made from magnetic metals)
    • Are pregnant
    • Feel you cannot perform the audio-visual and/or music listening tasks

    Recruitment End Date

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