Current Projects
Upper Limb Function in Motor Disorders
Most research examining upper limb coordination in cerebral palsy has focused on pediatric populations. In contrast, little is known regarding changes in motor function in adults with CP. In collaboration with the Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, current research focuses on improvement of upper limb and hand function in adults with CP using a home and internet-based training program (Project ULTrA). Additional studies examine postural control during reaching tasks made from standing.
The Effects of Aging on Upper Limb Sensorimotor Function
1. Control of Bilateral Sequential Arm Movements in Older Adults- This study examines the temporal and spatial coordination of reach and grasp movements during tasks which vary in complexity and arm sequence order. This line of research also includes understanding how object properties influence grasp force coordination in older adults.
2. Proprioceptive Acuity in Older Adults- Several related studies examine various aspects of upper limb/hand proprioceptive function including age-related changes in limb position sense (Adamo et al., 2007; Adamo et al., in press) and grasp force perception. Current studies focus on the role of cognitive loading during limb position matching tasks, the ability to reproduce whole arm movements in three-dimensional space, and the role of task specific home training on grasp force perception.
Factors Affecting Proprioceptive Acuity
Previous work from this laboratory has shown that the ability to reproduce limb position is dependent upon various factors including movement amplitude, age, and arm dominance (Goble et al., 2005; Goble et al., 2006; Goble & Brown, 2007; Goble & Brown, 2008; Goble & Brown, 2008; Goble et al., 2009; Goble & Brown, 2009). Current projects continue this line of research by examining how target stimulus duration impacts matching accuracy and the impact of elite training on proprioceptive acuity.
