Show simple item record

FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributor.authorKong, Dexiao
dc.date.accessioned2022-03-30T04:39:33Z
dc.date.available2022-03-30T04:39:33Z
dc.date.issued2022en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2123/27928
dc.description.abstractDementia is a devastating disease that currently cannot be effectively cured. A better understanding of the early physiologic processes in people ‘at-risk’ of developing dementia could improve our ability to differentiate various pathophysiological processes contributing to dementia pathology. Research examining the integrity of the autonomic nervous system is mixed for various types of dementia, as well as people who are ‘at-risk’ of dementia. Studying autonomic activities, especially parasympathetic activities during sleep - via heart rate variability can potentially shed light on the mixed findings of studies that have been conducted during the daytime. Furthermore, proper autonomic regulation is dependent on both the functional and structural integrity of the brain. It is therefore crucial to understand how the central nervous system interacts with the autonomic nervous system. The overarching aim of the current thesis is to examine autonomic function during sleep, specifically parasympathetic function via high-frequency heart rate variability in older adults ‘at-risk’ of dementia, and how such parasympathetic dysfunction during sleep is linked to cognition, and the morphological and functional integrity of the brain. In a series of three studies, the work of this thesis has revealed that reduced nocturnal high-frequency heart rate variability is: a) present in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment, who are at high risk of developing dementia, especially dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease; b) associated with reduced verbal episodic memory performance and hippocampal atrophy; and c) associated with reduced brain functional connectivity in key regions modulating autonomic responses including the insula, cingulate cortex, thalamus and amygdala. The combined evidence has highlighted the potential of nocturnal heart rate variability as a marker of early neurogenerative disease in older adults ‘at-risk’ of cognitive decline.en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.subjectheart rate variabilityen_AU
dc.subjectsleepen_AU
dc.subjectagingen_AU
dc.subjectdementiaen_AU
dc.subjectautonomic nervous systemen_AU
dc.subjectbrainen_AU
dc.titleBrain-Heart Modulation of the Autonomic Nervous System in Older Adults ‘at-risk’ of Dementia: a Study of Heart Rate Variability During Sleepen_AU
dc.typeThesis
dc.type.thesisDoctor of Philosophyen_AU
dc.rights.otherThe author retains copyright of this thesis. It may only be used for the purposes of research and study. It must not be used for any other purposes and may not be transmitted or shared with others without prior permission.en_AU
usyd.facultySeS faculties schools::Faculty of Scienceen_AU
usyd.departmentPsychologyen_AU
usyd.degreeDoctor of Philosophy Ph.D.en_AU
usyd.awardinginstThe University of Sydneyen_AU
usyd.awardinginstThe University of Sydneyen_AU
usyd.advisorNaismith, Sharon


Show simple item record

Associated file/s

Associated collections

Show simple item record

There are no previous versions of the item available.