Training human topographical orientation in a virtual environment: The behavioural and neurological mechanisms
| dc.contributor.advisor | Iaria, Giuseppe | |
| dc.contributor.author | Umiltà, Alberto Massimiliano | |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Protzner, Andrea B. | |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Goodyear, Bradley Gordon | |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Khun, Simone | |
| dc.date | 2022-02 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-12-08T17:55:04Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-12-08T17:55:04Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-12 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The ability of humans and other animal species to navigate in complex environments is critical to survive. From impairments of this activity a loss of independence derives. It is critical, therefore, to investigate whether navigational abilities are malleable and can improve. The present thesis is aimed at investigating how a 10-day training program can affect spatial abilities, either at the behavioural level or at the neural level in a group of healthy volunteers. The effects of training with a spatial task were tested by comparing data obtained with behavioural tests, Voxel Based Morphometry (VBM), and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during a pre-training session and a post-training session. The long-lasting effects of training at the behavioural level were re-tested three months later. The training protocol was based on the Spatial Configuration Task (SCT; Burles, 2014) developed in the Neurolab of the University of Calgary. This task requires correctly reporting the perspective from which two target objects are seen. Before and after training, participants performed 6 spatial tasks, aimed at testing whether the effect of training extended to spatial abilities that had not been trained and 12 standard neuropsychological tests to control for possible improvements attributable to test re-test effects. The results showed a significant improvement in SCT and a nearly significant improvement in the Mental Rotation Task and the Cambridge Face Memory Task. Neither the spatial tasks nor the neuropsychological tests showed changes from pre-training to post-training. At the neural level, the structural changes analyzed by VBM showed that the areas affected by training belonged mostly to the right hemisphere were: R BA1, L BA6, R BA10, L BA18, R BA22, R BA44 The fMRI analysis revealed functional changes in the following areas: R BA1 L BA4 L BA13, R BA19, R BA22, R BA39, R BA40. The results are discussed with reference to the cognitive processes involved in orienting and navigating | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | Umiltà, A. M. (2021). Training human topographical orientation in a virtual environment: the behavioural and neurological mechanisms (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/39417 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1880/114164 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | en_US |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Arts | en_US |
| dc.publisher.institution | University of Calgary | en |
| dc.rights | University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. | en_US |
| dc.subject | Spatial Orientation | en_US |
| dc.subject | Spatial Navigation | en_US |
| dc.subject | fMRI | en_US |
| dc.subject | VBM | en_US |
| dc.subject | Developmental Topographical Disorientation | en_US |
| dc.subject.classification | Neuroscience | en_US |
| dc.subject.classification | Psychology--Cognitive | en_US |
| dc.title | Training human topographical orientation in a virtual environment: The behavioural and neurological mechanisms | en_US |
| dc.type | doctoral thesis | en_US |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Psychology | en_US |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of Calgary | en_US |
| thesis.degree.name | Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) | en_US |
| ucalgary.item.requestcopy | true | en_US |