Dr. Wilcken’s lab is involved in research investigating the role of sleep in bettering cognition and overall health in older adults. Other studies have looked at behavioral interventions and transcranial magnetic stimulation to enhance sleep and cognitive functions.
STARS
STARS was the precursor to the Alzheimer’s Pathways Sleep Study and involved a similar sleep intervention that lasted one week, instead of four. This current study is looking to expand on the results of STARS and solidify the efficacy of the intervention as a simple, accessible, and feasible treatment option.
CHAI TMS
CHAI TMS examined whether transcranial brain stimulation (TMS) could better cognition and memory retention in older adults through increasing slow-wave activity (Stage 3/deep sleep) during sleep.
CSF Flow
CSF Flow aims to measure the flow of cerebral spinal fluid during sleep and wakefulness to better understand how neurotoxins that naturally accumulate in the brain in wakefulness, such as amyloid beta, are cleared during sleep. Participants in this pilot study are asked to sleep in a 7T (7 Telsa) MRI scanner for 1.5-2 hours while the flow is imaged, followed up by an overnight sleep study, as well as complete one week of actigraphy and filling out a sleep diary.