With microendoscopy, it is now possible to study the microstructure of muscles in living humans with an unprecedented level of detail. Associate Professor Glen Lichtwark from the University of Queensland explains how microendoscopy can be used to gain a deeper understanding of how muscles adapt in response to, for example, training […]
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a popular method among neuroscientists to study brain function, because it enables selective activation of certain areas of the brain with a magnetic coil. However, results from TMS studies published in the scientific literature can often not be reproduced. NeuRA’s Dr Martin Héroux talks about findings […]
Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) is a novel technique used to study muscle architecture, and is currently being used for NeuRA’s motor impairment research. In his review paper, Damon et al. [1] comprehensively describes the details of the technique. In this blog, we cover some key elements to this […]
At the second annual Motor Impairment Program meeting held at Neuroscience Research Australia at the end of last year, we were lucky to have guest speaker, Professor David Vaux from the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research (Melbourne, Australia) come up to talk to us about some general problems […]
Brain zapping, or non-invasive brain stimulation, in all its forms, has hit the mainstream. You can even watch a YouTube video about how to build your very own not-approved-for-human-use transcranial magnetic stimulation machine! Light-heartedness aside, the therapeutic benefits of brain stimulation are regularly highlighted in the news, and the number […]
Have you ever been in a team environment where some people do the majority of the work while others site back, do nothing, yet still like to take the credit? My co-authors and I certainly have! In a recent study we noted that not all muscles of the human calf […]
Repetitive pairing of stimuli to the motor cortex and peripheral nerves supplying muscles can induce plasticity at synapses between nerve cells that control voluntary muscle activity. This technique has therapeutic potential for enhancing activity at synapses that lie within the spinal cord and transmit commands from the brain to the […]
Stroke can impair motor and/or sensory systems in very different ways depending on the individual (Teasell & Hussein, 2013). Currently, many neurological measures of the functional consequences of stroke use very coarse scales and/or rely of the subjective judgements of clinicians (Scott & Dukelow, 2011). In our lab we are […]
Following a stroke or spinal cord injury some people develop stiff joints, sometimes referred to as contracture. It is not well understood why contractures develop. Also, it is not clear whether they result from changes in the muscle or the tendon, which is why researchers and clinicians are very interested […]
What’s in a CLINICAL TRIAL? Simple – a lot of bias about the benefits and the harms of what is being tried! We like to report on the benefits but not the harms. This new research published in the British Medical Journal highlights the deficiencies in how clinical trial outcomes […]
