Robotic assessment of sensorimotor and cognitive deficits in patients with epilepsy
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Authors
Finn, Spencer
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Epilepsy , Kinarm , Robotic assessment , sensorimotor , cognitive , cognition , cognitive deficits , neuropsychology , memory , RBANS , neuropsychological , executive function , declarative memory , working memory , duration of epilepsy
Alternative Title
Abstract
Individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) can present with significant cognitive
impairments, such as impaired executive function, working memory, and declarative memory.
Traditionally, these impairments are assessed using standard neuropsychological assessments;
however these neuropsychological assessments typically only measure simple parameters, are
extremely long and exhausting, and are overall expensive. We hoped to improve these problems
by using robotic technology through the Kinarm robot. To identify if the Kinarm was a viable
tool for assessing sensorimotor and cognitive skills, 23 subjects with TLE were recruited and
underwent a brief neuropsychological and Kinarm assessment. Pearson correlations of scores
from both assessments were conducted and demonstrated that scores from Kinarm tasks
assessing neurocognitive domains known to be impaired in TLE, including executive function,
working memory and declarative memory significantly correlated with similar tasks from the
neuropsychological assessment. In addition to these findings, we investigated the effects of
laterality on performance, with the hypothesis that left TLE would be more impaired on verbal
memory tasks. However, our findings demonstrated no significant differences between the two
lateralities in any of the tasks assessing this domain. Lastly, we investigated the effects of the
duration of epilepsy on performance as deficits may be progressive. Linear regressions of the
relationship between performance on all tasks and the duration of epilepsy demonstrated that
individuals with TLE are increasingly more impaired with longer durations of epilepsy on a
variety of tasks covering several neurocognitive domains. Overall, our findings demonstrated
that the Kinarm is an effective tool for the assessment of impairments in people with TLE.
Additionally, we demonstrated that longer durations of epilepsy are associated with increased
impairment on a variety of neurocognitive domains.
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Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada
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Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.