What we do

We explore how the central nervous system controls movement in health and disease to understand how, e.g., exercise, brain stimulation, and nerve stimulation can improve function, explore plasticity in the nervous system in response to disease or injury, and inform the development of rehabilitation strategies.

Why it is important

Voluntary movements, for example, walking, bending, and reaching, are under the control of the central nervous system (CNS). In response to pathology, such as neurological disease, spinal cord injury or pain, the CNS undergoes reorganisation (plasticity). It is essential to improve our understanding of how the nervous system controls movements so that we can design strategies to optimise neural control, e.g., by undertaking tasks with one set of muscles to improve the function of another set of muscles, or to try to predict the recovery of function in those who have reduced function (e.g. following spinal cord injury).

How it can benefit patients

Gaining a greater understanding of how the nervous system controls the way we move can help to inform the development of rehabilitation strategies or test the efficacy of treatments.

Summary of current research:

• Corticomotor mapping of upper limb muscles following spinal cord injury.
• Visual dependence in those with hypermobility.
• Effects of pain on motor unit activity.
• Postural control dysfunction following critical illness.
• Effects of ischaemia on sensorimotor function.
• Using brain stimulation and near infrared spectroscopy to detect spinal cord injury in the perioperative period.