Research: Cognitive Motor Neuroscience

Research Focus : Developmental Motor Control, Motor Development, Movement Disorders

Research Summary : Jane E. Clark is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology. Her work focuses on understanding the development of movement control and coordination in motor skills. Using a dynamic systems approach, Dr. Clark and her colleagues have demonstrated that the newly walking infants limbs, like those of the adult walker, act like coupled nonlinear limit cycle oscillators at both the intralimb and interlimb levels of coordination. Her current work examines the role of sensory information in the development of upright posture and locomotion in infants.

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Research Focus : Brain Machine Interaction, Computational Motor Neuroscience, Motor Control, Motor Learning, Movement Disorders

Research Summary : Dr. Contreras-Vidal's research program integrates behavioral, neuroimaging, and computational neuroscience methods to study the neural mechanisms and computational principles underlying adaptive sensory-motor control in humans during normal and neurological conditions. To accomplish the above goal we use motion sensing, high-density scalp electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIR), and computer simulations of large-scale, biologically-plausible, neural networks of motor systems including the spinal cord, fronto-parietal networks, the basal ganglia and the cerebellum. His translational research involves the development of smart neuroprosthetics, and the transfer of relevant biological principles (hardware and algorithms) to the design and development of a new generation of artificial hands and arms (bio-robotics).

Research Focus : Computational Motor Neuroscience

Research Summary : Dr. Gentilli's research focuses on the investigation of functional non-invasive brain biomarkers, which assess the level of cognitive-motor performance and learning when humans interact with new dynamics or kinematics tools. Another aspect of his research is to develop bio-inspired control systems able to learn to manipulate anthropomorphic robot limbs (arm/finger), while at the same time incorporating the main biomechanical features of human movement. These two research fields contribute to the development of next generation smart prosthetics.

Research Focus : Aging, Exercise Psychophysiology, Exercise and Genomics, Sport Psychology

Research Summary : Dr. Hatfield and his research team investigate exercise and sport psychology issues from a cognitive neuroscience or biological psychology perspective. Their research focuses on 1) health-related issues such as the effect of exercise on the aging brain and the protective effects of physical activity on brain processes that underlie memory and executive function. An important question is whether the neurobiological benefits of exercise are more prominent in those individuals who are genetically at risk for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The research team also addresses 2) issues related to human performance in order to understand critical brain processes underlying superior cognitive-motor performance, how emotion alters the brain and the quality of performance, and the management of stress in high-performance individuals such as competitive athletes and specialized military personnel.

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Introduction : Dr. Haufler's research focuses on the psychology of human physical activity, performance-related research examines the mechanisms underlying the continuum of skill acquisition and performance (novice to expert), strategies to optimize and accelerate skill learning and the role of stress in skilled performance. Health-related research examines the role of physical activity and health status on cognitive performance across the lifespan. Specifically, the role of physical activity, motor skill, and cognition in school-aged children and the aged are of particular interest.

Research Focus : Computational Motor Neuroscience, Motor Control, Movement Disorders, Sensorimotor Integration

Research Summary : In my laboratory, we study how the brain combines sensory information about the environment and one's own body movement to better understand patient populations with neurological disease and injury that lead to balance problems.

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Research Focus : Computational Neuroscience, Motor Control, Neural Modeling

Introduction : My research focuses on the mathematical modeling and analysis of motor control. The motor control behaviors I study include the postural control of standing in humans and swimming in lampreys. My emphasis is on system-level models that illuminate key aspects of motor behavior and the use of empirical data to develop and parameterize such models.

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Research Focus : Motor Control, Motor Development, Movement Disorders

Introduction : Dr. Oliveira's research focuses on the developmental changes in a neural network, the so-called mirror neuron system (MNS), which is thought to be involved in action understanding and production during early experience. He also has on-going projects that seeks to characterize the developmental process of finger force control that aims to understand changes in the neuromechanical variables as motor control develops.

Research Summary : Dr. Palla-Kane is the Director of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Kinesiology. Research: She is interested in studying the impact of diversity in the delivery of quality physical education, and she has studied physical education teachers' perceptions and attitudes toward teaching students with disabilities and with culturally-diverse backgrounds. Dr. Palla-Kane's dissertation "Adapted Physical Education Specialists perceptions of diversity issues in the delivery of Adapted Physical Education Services in California Urban Schools" was the first in the field of Adapted Physical Education to explore attitudes and experiences teachers toward students with diverse backgrounds.

Research Focus : Aging, Biomechanics, Brain Machine Interaction, Cardiovascular Exercise Physiology, Motor Control, Movement Disorders

Research Summary : Our research is currently focused on biomechanics and motor control of (1) hand and digits and (2) persons with lower extremity amputations as well as their applications to medicine, rehabilitation, and ergonomics. We are especially interested in understanding the CNS control mechanism for motor redundancy, developments of motor functions in typically developing children as well as children with developmental coordination disorder, developmental changes and intervention & adaptation of motor functions in elderly persons and the persons with neurological/genetic disorders or stroke, and physiological and biomechanical risk and interventions of persons with lower extremity amputations. We use techniques of biomechanics, motor control, neurophysiology, and exercise physiology: kinematic analysis using motion capture systems, kinetic/dynamic analysis, neuromuscular training, TMS, EMG, MEG, MRI, optic fiber Bragg grading (FBG) force sensors, 6-D kinetic pen, cardiovascular exercise, neuromuscular training, epidemiology, etc.

Neuromechanics Laboratory (NML)

Fischell Department of BIoengineering Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science (UM Medical School)

Research Focus : Exercise and Genomics

Research Summary : Jo Zimmerman is an instructor in the Department of Kinesiology. She earned her undergraduate and master's degrees from George Mason University, and held the ACSM Health Fitness Specialist certification since 1996. Jo has been working in the health and fitness industry for nearly 20 years and teaching for over 12 years.