Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Primary brain tumour patients experience neurological impairment caused by the tumour itself or by surgical resection. Our overall goal is to develop novel approaches to optimize surgical intervention and minimize deficits. Clinical assessment methods are limited by the low resolution and subjective nature of the clinical examination. Interactive robotics, such as the Kinarm, offer a more robust and quantifiable approach to assess neurological function. This study aims to evaluate neurological function in primary brain tumour patients using Kinarm-based assessment. Our objectives are: (1) To assess the feasibility (e.g., safety, tolerability, ability to detect deficits) of using Kinarm-based assessment, and (2) To compare patterns of impairment pre- and post-operatively. We hypothesize that: (1) Kinarm-based assessment will be feasible and will reveal various neurological deficits; (2) The robotic tool will reveal impairments better than the standard RBANS tool; and (3) The pattern or severity of impairments may improve or worsen with surgery. Adult primary brain tumour patients will undergo Kinarm Standard Tests to assess sensory, motor, and cognitive function. Pre- and post-surgery Kinarm results will be compared, scored against age/sex matched healthy controls as well as RBANS scores. Kinarm-based assessment may identify possible markers for tumour diagnosis and progression, helping to predict patient outcomes, evaluate successful tumour resection, and plan neurological rehabilitation. Our findings will establish the feasibility of using the Kinarm to identify and quantify neurological deficits in brain tumour patients, setting the stage for its use in clinical trials comparing different surgical approaches or treatments aimed at minimizing the cognitive footprint.