What is this Study about?

You are invited to participate in a study examining how a social robot can be used as a training and support tool to help dementia caregivers connect with and support multiple residents living with dementia. A supporting mobile app has been developed through co-design sessions with dementia caregivers. We are seeking caregivers’ insights into their needs and expectations for this social robotic support system.

Information collected will be anonymized, stored securely in our repository, and disposed of when it is no longer needed.

What is this Study about?

Apathy, or reduced interest, initiative and emotion, is common in people living with Alzheimer’s disease and can affect quality of life and functioning. This study will test whether combining methylphenidate, an oral medication, with intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a non-invasive brain stimulation treatment, is more effective than iTBS alone for treating apathy in dementia. Information collected will help determine whether this combined approach may improve apathy and quality of life for people living with dementia and their care partners.

What is this Study about?

This study aims to understand dementia caregivers' experiences, challenges, and training needs to help guide the development of a social robotic training system. The proposed system is envisioned to use role-playing scenarios based on the emotional behaviours and past identities of people living with dementia. A supporting mobile application is also being developed to work with the robot's training features. Caregivers' perspectives will help identify their needs and expectations for this social robotic training system.  

What is this Study about?

This study explores dementia stigma within South Asian communities in Canada, a group that has been underrepresented in dementia research. Using a focused ethnographic approach, it aims to understand community beliefs and experiences related to dementia and identify ways to create a culturally appropriate dementia-friendly society.

The study will: Examine South Asian cultural understandings of dementia and dementia-related stigma. Investigate how dementia affects the overall well-being of people living with dementia, their families, and caregivers. Explore how individuals make decisions about seeking healthcare and support. The research also seeks to understand how social, cultural, structural, and political factors contribute to dementia stigma and how culturally relevant anti-stigma interventions can be developed.

Expected outcomes include: Generating new knowledge about dementia stigma in South Asian communities. Increasing awareness and promoting dementia-friendly environments. Sharing findings through academic publications, conferences, community presentations, and multilingual infographics in Bengali, Hindi, and Urdu to reach a broader audience.

What is this Study about?

Despite the clinical benefit and favourable safety profile of using focused ultrasound to manage tremor caused by Parkinson’s Disease, there is currently limited gender and cultural diversity among the patients we treat. We will use questionnaires and patient-led discussions to identify factors that prevent (i) women and (ii) a broader range of races and ethnicities from considering focused ultrasound to manage tremor.

What is this Study about?

This study is exploring the viability of a potential treatment for cognitive decline in dementia by attempting to improve the brain's ability to hold onto information temporarily while doing things like reading lists, having a conversation, or problem-solving. The results from this study will inform future research in improving working memory and cognition in people living with dementia.

What is this Study about?

This study examines how Black family caregivers in the Greater Toronto Area experience and access social support while caring for a relative living with dementia. Using Straussian Grounded Theory informed by Critical Theory and Intersectionality, the research explores how factors such as race, culture, gender, and community shape caregiving experiences and support-seeking behaviours. Findings will be used to develop theory grounded in the lived experiences of Black caregivers, and to inform more culturally responsive dementia care policies, services, and supports across Canada. This study has been approved by the York University Research Ethics Board (Protocol 130, April 2026).

What is this Study about?

The goal of this study is to investigate whether very small doses of a drug called levetiracetam (LEV) may reduce abnormal brain signaling in the brain in individuals who are at an increased risk for developing Alzheimer's Disease. Only participants who show the abnormal brain signaling on a functional MRI (fMRI) scan of the brain will be enrolled in the study. Enrolled participants will receive 4 weeks of treatment with LEV and 4 weeks of treatment with placebo (a sugar pill). The study involves cognitive testing, genetic testing, bloodwork, ECGs, questionnaires and several brain imaging scans.

What is this Study about?

This study looks at how an at-home nature-based virtual reality (VR) program may help people living with Alzheimer’s Disease manage behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), such as depression. Caregivers and/or study partners will have the option of taking part in the study and providing feedback regarding the VR intervention. This project will explore how virtual reality can be used as a non-pharmacological approach to prolong aging in place for individuals with BPSD, as BPSD contributes to rates of institutionalization.