Development of novel methods for analysis of autonomic balance and gamma coherence in autism

Development of novel methods for analysis of autonomic balance and gamma coherence in autism.Development of novel methods for analysis of autonomic balance and gamma coherence in autism." ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The influence of many individuals has greatly enriched both my undergraduate and graduate careers at the University of Louisville. I would first like to thank Dr. Tato Sokhadze for his mentorship these past three years, and encouraging my involvement in various research projects in his lab. Dr. Sokhadze taught me how to navigate a research project from start to finish, from data collection to analysis to interpreting and presenting results. I now understand the diligence and commitment required to be successful in research. I am very grateful for the time he has dedicated to advising me in the preparation of this thesis. Dr. Ayman El-Baz has been a wonderful source of advice throughout my years in Bioengineering. Dr. El-Baz has been my advisor since sophomore year of college and has always been there to help me figure out my class schedule and discuss my career goals. When I first expressed interest in participating in research Dr. El-Baz introduced me to Dr. Sokhadze right away, which paved the way for a rewarding and meaningful research experience. I am also very fortunate to have the support and guidance of my family. My family has been there every step of the way, and I am so thankful for everything they have done to help me reach my goals. The excellent company of mentors, friends, and family means so much to me and has been a significant part of my accomplishments over the past five years. v ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that is characterized by difficulty in social interactions, limited range of interests, and repetitive behaviors. ASD has been shown to negatively affect both ambient vision and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The objectives of this thesis were to determine the efficacy of two novel therapies, visuo-motor training with ambient prism lenses and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), on autonomic balance and EEG gamma coherence. Heart rate variability (HRV) and skin conductance level (SCL) were used as indicators of autonomic function. HRV is an excellent indicator of autonomic balance because it has a low frequency (LF) component, representative of combined parasympathetic and sympathetic inputs, and a high frequency (HF) component, representative of parasympathetic only inputs. SCL is controlled solely by …