Hello! My name is Jess Pack, and I am from Telluride High School. I began my five week internship this week at the CU Change lab in Boulder! In the Change Lab I will be volunteering in the FORCE study, that is conducted in the Center for Innovation and Creativity (CINC) just off of the CU Boulder campus. The FORCE study looks at the effects of exercise in older adults (60 and up) who do not exercise on a regular basis. All of the participants in the study have an MRI, blood testing, cognitive tests, and, an exercise test in the begging and end of their 16 week participation. After the beginning tests, the participants come in three times a week for 16 weeks. Each participant is randomly assigned to either the moderate intensity or the low intensity exercise group. The moderate intensity group has participants aiming to get their heart rate up to a higher percentage of their maximum heart rate(which is taken in the preliminary exercise test). The low intensity group stays within a lower maximum heart rate percentage. When they come in, they exercise on a treadmill, during which their heart rate, speed, grade, and RPE(rate of perceived exertion) is taken by one of the research assistants or volunteers. After they complete their 16 weeks they begin the appointments for follow up testing.
On my first day I took a tour of the CINC and met many of the people who work on the various studies that are currently being conducted in the Change Lab. Following the tour I began my online training! This training is required for people who work with human subjects in scientific research. It mainly focused on the ethics and importance of confidentiality when working with people. For example, in the FORCE study every participant is assigned a subject number as to keep their names confidential. After one and a half days of training I got to do my first real work with the study! I learned how to use and control some of the many computer databases and spreadsheets the study uses to keep track of all the information that is recorded. I got enter data for exercise logs of participants who had just recently finished their 16 weeks of exercise, which was really interesting!
On my third day I got to work with actual participants of the study! I got to be the person who recorded their information while they exercised for 30 minuets! By this point the study is done recruiting, so most of the participants that come in are very familiar with their exercise routine. I got to work with all six of the participants that came in for morning appointments, two of which were part of the moderate intensity group and the remaining four who were in the low intensity group. After the morning appointments were over I began MRI training in preparation for my first end appointment!
On Friday I was able to observe one of the study’s follow up appointments, which was really interesting! The first part of the appointment was a series of cognitive tests administered by a computer and controlled by a research assistant. The cognitive activities are aimed to test executive functioning in the brain. This include areas such as decision making and memory. These tests took almost an hour! Following the test was the MRI. Each scan taken during the hour long period the participant in the MRI machine takes about six minuets. The first scan we took was just to get an anatomical look at the participants brain. The next scan was taken while the participant stares at a cross on a blank screen. During this scan the participants look through a mirror to see the projection of the cross and are asked to keep their eyes open. Immediately after the six minuets they are asked a series of questions regarding what they were thinking about during the scan. The participant was given a roller ball in order to answer the questions. The final scan was taken while the participant completed more cognitive tests. This scan was an fMRI, which looks at how blood flows through the brain, this is used in order to see which parts of the brain are activated during certain activities! I was fascinated by the concept of having someone complete cognitive tests while in an MRI machine! After the MRI the first part of the follow up appointment is over. The participant while have to go to the on campus medical clinic another day to fully complete the study.
Out side the lab, I have been spending time with my super awesome host family! They live right near wear I work, which is really nice! They have three kids (ages 4,8, and 10) who are all so energetic and fun. I went to several of their baseball games this week, and they are really good. The oldest one, Ollie, made the state championships with his little league team, which is a really big deal! We also went to Boulder creek, where we played around in the water and tried to catch minnows! Then this weekend I went down to Denver to visit my grandma and two aunts!
I loved my first week at the Change Lab! I am fascinated by the work I am doing, and I am so grateful I get to participate in the research! I am also really thankful for my host family! I am so excited to see what the next couple week bring!
Super interesting Jess! I will be excited to read the final results of this study