NSERC Funded Work
We are interested in understanding how humans seamlessly integrate concurrent motor and cognitive tasks. At one time gait was largely considered an automatic task with little cognitive input. It is only in the last few decades that we have come to realize the impact of cognitive function on posturaland locomotor control. Given the fact that dual-tasking is quite common in our daily activities at all ages and can pose serious threats to our safety (e.g. crossing a street while observing traffic flow), it is logical to ask if dual-task performance can be improved with practice. While the benefits of practice for motor performance are well established optimal practice strategies for dual-task performance, in general, and concurrent motor and cognitive tasks, in particular, is a relatively new area of study. Work from my lab group that has explored competing theories for optimizing dual-task performance. This work revealed that dual-task training needs to be similar to targeted tasks to yield reliable, positive training outcomes, and that the role of attention in the control of complex locomotor tasks changes across the lifespan.
CIHR Funded Research
As part of the Guelph Family Health Study team (GFHS) and the Family Stress study (FSS), a collaborative study with McMaster University. We know that the preschool-age is a critical period of development for children, where healthy habits can be established that will last a lifetime. I have the opportunity to examine the role of physical activity, sleep and sedentary behaviour and stress on the health and well-being of young children in these two CIHR funded projects. The GFHS is a long-term intervention study designed to follow families with young children (aged 18 months to 6 years of age) over many years. The goal of this CIHR funded study is to ascertain new ways to help families with very young children set good routines for eating, physical activity, sleep and screen time at home. The FSS was designed to explore the intersections and bio-behavioural links between chronic stress and child adiposity among school-aged children and adolescents.
As a researcher in the Guelph Family Health study (GFHS) I am involved in the collection and processing of physical activity and sleep data captured using small accelerometers worn by the children and their parents (7 days, 24 hours a day; baseline and regularly scheduled follow up visits each year thereafter). This collaborative study involves faculty and HQP across three different Colleges at the University of Guelph, including the Departments of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, Math and Statistics, Molecular and Cellular Biology and the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Science. The study involves >400 families in Guelph; conference abstracts and research publications are now being generated based on our baseline data.
I have had the opportunity to collaborate with international scientists in Germany at the University of Bremen /Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology (BIPS; Drs. Ahrens, Brandes, Buck) who share common research interests in physical activity, sleep and their influence on childhood health. We have established the study framework for research projects and have supported two Cotutelle Doctoral students. This training program is a formal, international training agreement between the two institutions that results in the candidate receiving PhD degrees from both Institutions. Funded by MITACS GlobalLink and the EURASMUS funding programs, these training opportunities require a 10-12 month residency in Germany. The first University of Guelph Cotutelle Doctoral Student, Dr. Becky Breau graduated in August 2021 and current PhD candidate Hannah Coyle-Asbil is set to compete her doctoral training in August 2025.
I am also a co-investigator on a related collaborative study between the University of Guelph and McMaster University recently funded through a CIHR Project Grant (PI: Haines; Chronic stress and child adiposity: Testing a bio-behavioural model; July 2019). This study is exploring links between chronic stress and childhood obesity among school-aged children and adolescents. The methodology for this large project had to be adapted in light of COVID-19 related human research restrictions (e.g. use of online questionnaires; accelerometers delivered to families in the mail). In March 2024, the 2-year follow up data collections were complete (n=268 completed health survey); the 3-year data collections are currently underway.
Parkinson’s Disease Funded Research
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by various motor and non-motor symptoms including bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor, postural stability and sleep disturbances. Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve some of these symptoms, however studies examining the effects of different exercise intensity in participants with PD is limited. We recently completed a large collaborative study comparing the effects of moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) and high intensity interval training (HIIT) on maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), posture and gait in individuals with PD. We hypothesized that HIIT may be advantageous due to health benefits observed in other populations after completing HIIT programs. The primary outcome for this study was the change in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2peak). Secondary outcomes included changes in the United Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Part III motor score, Parkinson’s Disease Fatigue Scale (PFS-16), resting and exercise cardiovascular measures, gait, balance, and knee extensor strength and fatigability.
We found that HIIT produced a larger, clinically meaningful difference in VO2peak in patients with PD. However, both HIIT and MICT demonstrated a similar capacity to improve PD motor symptoms and perceived fatigue. Despite no improvements in gait, balance, or cardiovascular measures, HIIT did improve knee extensor fatigue resistance.
