Stockton University Seeks Volunteers For Research On Brain Activity

Stockton University is seeking volunteers for a research project that will explore which lifestyle factors have the most significant impact on the degree of connectivity among different regions of the brain, the university announced this week. The project, “The Relationship between Brain Activity and Cognitive Reserve,” will be conducted at the Stockton-Rothenberg Building at 3430 Atlantic Avenue in Atlantic City.

“As we age, we routinely participate in screenings of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar,” Stockton Associate Professor of Psychology Jessica Fleck said. “However, many individuals have never participated in a screening of brain health and function. The National Institute on Aging suggests that changes in the physical brain may occur a decade or more before changes in memory and thinking are observed. However, research has suggested that lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and education can influence how the brain changes during aging."

There will be two, one-hour sessions in early September, and participants will be paid for their time. The university is looking primarily for African Americans or Hispanics between the ages of 45 and 64 years old.
Rates of dementia and cognitive decline are significantly higher in African American and Hispanic older adults than they are for Caucasian older adults, so it is vital to learn more about brain connectivity in diverse participant groups, Fleck said.

Participants must be right-handed and have no prior diagnosis of dementia, neurological disorder or traumatic brain injury. Latino participants will need to be able to read and write in English. The project involves the use of EEG, which measures electrical activity in the brain. Tests of memory and thinking will also be administered in a second session.

Fleck has been a member of Stockton’s Psychology program since 2006. In addition to researching brain health throughout the lifespan, she is also an active researcher of creativity and the creative brain.
Those who are interested in participating should contact Fleck and the Healthy Brain, Healthy Mind Research Team at 609-626-3444 or eeglab@stockton.edu to learn more.

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