Bilingualism, Brain Structure and Cognition
*Currently open to adults ages 60 & up*
Description: Join our three session study about bilingualism, brain structure, and cognition.
Session 1: you will meet over the phone or Zoom and will be asked a series of screening questions to confirm your eligibility. If eligible, you’ll be booked for Session 2
Session 2: you will be asked to complete questionnaires, cognitive tasks, hearing assessment and a mock scan. Responses will be audio recorded and you may opt-out of audio recording.
Session 3: MRI scan. For a portion of the scan you will be asked to lie still, while for other portions you will lie still while you listen to a story or complete a cognitive task.
Eligibility and Exclusion: Participants should be healthy, right-handed adults and age 60 or older, with proficiency in both French and English. English should be your most proficient language and you should consider yourself bilingual to some degree. Participants must not have any pre-existing neuropsychological conditions, untreated cardiovascular conditions, untreated diabetes, ear conditions requiring medical care, or history of neurovascular injury (i.e. stroke, aneurysm). Participants must also be considered safe to undergo MRI scanning, as determined by The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Center’s screening protocol.
Risks: MRI scanning uses strong magnetic fields and radiofrequency pulses, and is considered a routine procedure. We do not foresee any major risks from your participation in the research, provided that the MRI safety screening has been completed. You will be thoroughly screened by both the researcher and the MRI technologist prior to entering the magnet. Minor discomfort may be experienced from lying still in the scanner, from scanner noise, or from heating induced by skin-to skin contact. Comfortable padding, hearing protection, and appropriate clothing will be provided to minimize this discomfort.
Duration and Locale:
Session 1: 90 minutes, over Zoom or by phone
Session 2: 120 minutes, The Royal Mental Health Center, 1145 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON
Session 3: 135 minutes, The Royal Mental Health Center, 1145 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON
Compensation: You will be paid $20 for Session 1, $40 for Session 2, and $40 for Session 3 and provided with a parking code for The Royal, for participation in the study. You will also receive an image of your brain, if desired. If you are a Carleton student recruited through the Cognitive Science or Psychology SONA, you will also receive 4% course credit.
Lead Researcher: Imola X. MacPhee, Au.D. Principal Investigator: John A.E. Anderson Ph.D., Supervisor
This project was reviewed and cleared by the Carleton University Research Ethics Board-B (Protocol # 118397) and the University of Ottawa Research Ethics Board (Ethics File #:H-03-24-9980). If you have ethical concerns with the study, please contact Carleton University Research Ethics: 613-520-2600 ext 4085, email: ethics@carleton.ca and the uOttawa Office of Research Ethics and Integrity 613-562-5387, email:ethics@uottawa.ca.
Interested in participating?
Please complete the contact form below to have a researcher contact you: