Some children are unable to communicate by speaking. There are a range of tools and strategies that these children can use to help them communicate with others. One set of technologies that is being developed is called “Brain Computer Interface” or “BCI” for short. BCI is a technology where the brain to communicates directly with a computer that detects and translates the brain’s signals. Specifically, BCI uses electroencephalography (EEG) recordings of the electrical activity of the brain. BCI is a relatively new technology and our understanding of how different BCI systems work for children is still evolving. One type of BCI system for communication flashes pictures of different objects on a screen while the person focuses on the object they want to select. The BCI then tries to identify which picture the user was paying attention to. The purpose of this research study is to test how modifying the timing of flashes and altering the computer’s method for making predictions influence the accuracy of the BCI system. To assess these differences, children and adolescents with no known neurological conditions are needed to test the BCI system.

We are testing a treatment that is developed to improve behavioral functioning of children with congenital heart disease. The intervention is time limited and provided virtually (over video sessions) with the goal of helping parents manage and improve their child's behavior.

Background: Unfortunately, between 40-65% of children and adolescents with migraine do not respond to the current standard of care treatments. In order to advance treatment options for this group, we must first understand if there are predictors of treatment course in children and adolescents with migraine. Preliminary studies have shown that depression might be predictive of a poor treatment response. However, there is a lot about this that is still unknown. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that internalizing symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression and post-traumatic symptoms) and related behaviors (i.e., sleep) in both youth with migraine and their parents will be predictive of treatment response and disability. Methods: A variety of complimentary research methods will be used to measure internalizing symptoms and related behaviors and migraine-specific outcomes at various time points. A sample of 25 children and adolescents with migraine, and one of their parents, will be recruited for the pilot phase. We aim to recruit a total of 225 children and adolescents with migraine, along with one parent/guardian, throughout the entire study. First, participants and their parents/guardians will complete baseline questionnaires about their headaches, internalizing symptoms and related behaviors. Then, each participant and their parent/guardian will enter a 30-day baseline phase, during which time they will complete a daily headache, mood, anxiety and stress diary. Patient participants will also wear an actigraph, a device that is worn on the wrist to monitor activity and estimates sleep-wake patterns with a built-in movement sensor. Following the 30-day baseline phase, follow-up questionnaires will be sent at three months, one year and two years. These questionnaires will assess interim headache history and internalizing symptoms and related behaviors. All of the questionnaires will be sent through auto-generated emails with embedded questionnaire links, or through text messaged links. Significance: This study will be the first to look at specific modifiable risk factors over time for the maintenance and progression of this often lifelong, debilitating condition in a sample of children and adolescents. In so doing, this work has the potential to uncover advanced treatment approaches for these vulnerable youth.

People with AFib who also have higher body weight can get relief from their symptoms if they lose about 10% of their weight. Research shows that one way to lose a moderate amount of weight and keep it off is by participating in behavioural weight loss treatment (BWLT). BWLT is a group-based therapy program that uses psychology to teach people how to manage their eating better, increase their physical activity, and maintain other healthy behaviours. The purpose of this research study is to test if a BWLT program modified for people with AFib will result in a greater amount of cardiac rehabilitation patients losing 10% of their body weight compared to cardiac rehab patients who receive treatment as usual. We also want to know if people who take part in BWLT experience any changes in AFib symptoms, related health outcomes, and psychological health. If you choose to participate in this study, our team will randomize you to participate in either the experimental or control group. If you're in the experimental group, you'll receive both the regular Total Cardiology rehabilitation program and the BWLT program, consisting of twelve 2-hour group-based weekly sessions that are provided virtually using Zoom. If you are in the control group, you will receive the standard Total Cardiology rehabilitation program. If you are in the experimental group, you will be provided with a Fitbit Aria Scale and Charge 5 fitness tracker that will be yours to keep at the end of the study. All participants will receive a Kardia EKG device to record 2 daily ECG tracings for the duration of the study. If you are interested in participating in this study, please speak with your cardiology healthcare team. Your cardiologist can determine if you would be eligible to participate.

This study investigates how the brain supports paying attention to our own thoughts, independent of the external environment. As part of the study, we will record participants’ brain activity while they do a simple computer task. Brain activity will be recorded using a cap worn on top of the head (scalp electroencephalography). This procedure has minimal to no risks associated with it. The study is being conducted at the University of Calgary. We are currently recruiting individuals with acquired brain damage (due to stroke, traumatic injury, etc.), or individuals who have undergone surgical removal of brain tissue (for e.g., to treat epilepsy). Results from the study will help us understand how we pay attention in daily life, and should help us develop strategies to support individuals who suffer from attentional disorders.

Preliminary research suggests that bipolar disorder and certain types of dementia may be linked. Dementia-related changes are not well understood in bipolar disorder and are difficult to disentangle from the symptoms of bipolar disorder itself. This study is designed to uncover whether certain cognitive tests may be useful as screening tools for early detection of dementia in individuals with bipolar disorder. We are examining this by looking at the relationships between these cognitive tests, dementia biomarkers, and dementia-associated genes in individuals with bipolar disorder. If you choose to participate, you will be asked to: 1) Complete a series of questionnaires and pen-and-paper tasks designed to assess your thinking skills; 2) Have your blood drawn to look for specific biomarkers of neurodegenerative disease.

We are conducting a study to examine the relationship between subjective and objective measures of sleep quality after exercise. We are looking for 60 individuals to volunteer in a sleep study, which includes two weeks of wearing an activity-tracking watch, two nights of an overnight, in-home sleep assessment and three questionnaires regarding your sleep. You will also be asked to perform an aerobic fitness test and a single exercise training session.

We are conducting a study to validate the accuracy of a pulse oximeter that is embedded into an oral appliance. We are looking for up to 40 individuals to volunteer in a controlled desaturation (hypoxia) study, which includes visiting a dentist twice to have an oral appliance made and fitted, then wearing the appliance while you breathe gas mixtures with varying amounts of oxygen.

Organoids are 'mini-organs' generated in the lab to study human biology and disease. In this study, we will harvest cells from the nose to generate organoids to study the function of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), the channel that exhibits altered function in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Human rhinovirus is also called the “common cold virus” because it causes at least half of all of the common colds experienced each year. In patients with asthma, getting a rhinovirus infection can also trigger asthma attacks. Current drugs used to treat asthma are not particularly effective during viral infections. Although the symptoms of the common cold are well known, we do not fully understand how the virus causes these symptoms, nor do we really know how it causes asthma attacks. The epithelial cell is the cell that lines the surface of your airways from your nose down to your lungs, and is also the cell type that gets infected by rhinovirus. At present, it is thought that the virus causes symptoms by changing epithelial cell biology in a way that causes airway inflammation. In order to examine how the virus causes inflammation, many earlier studies have used experimental infection with the virus and have measured various markers of inflammation. Cigarette smokers have been reported to be more likely to get colds than non-smokers and asthmatic patients who smoke tend to have more acute attacks and do less well than asthmatics who do not smoke. It is not known why smokers do worse than non-smokers. It is possible that smokers get more inflammation than non-smokers. It is also possible that smokers do not mount a good protective antiviral response to defend against the virus. About 24 healthy volunteers who do not have pre-existing immunity to the virus, and who do not have nasal allergies or asthma will be recruited for this study. Half will be smokers and half will be non- smokers. The purpose of this study is to compare the levels of inflammatory chemicals, and the levels of protective antiviral proteins in the airways of healthy smokers and healthy non-smokers after infection with rhinovirus (the common cold virus).