Neuromotor behavior and exercise

This first publication in the ParViS (Parkinson Vibrating Socks) project has enabled the group led by Dr. Stojan and PD Dr. Kutz to lay the foundation for the course of the ParViS project. The current publication describes a method with which gait data and neurophysiological processes can be recorded with high temporal synchrony in the virtual reality of the GRAIL system. The synchronous measurement of spatially high-resolution combined EEG and fNIRS measurements (64 EEG channels and 43 fNIRS channels) with kinematic and kinetic data is achieved by using the Labstreaming Layer environment, a photodiode and a Raspberry Pi. You can find the article in full length here.
 

A new interdisciplinary research project led by the University Medical Center Mainz and the MSB Medical School Berlin is investigating the effectiveness of an innovative form of care for multimorbid, elderly people with depression: BRIDGE is an activation program that immediately follows a hospital stay in geriatrics or geriatric psychiatry. It is intended to contribute to more physical activity and positive experiences in patients' everyday lives. The aim of the care program is to reduce depressive symptoms and improve patients' quality of life.

The international conference of the Society for the Neural Control of Movement took place from 15-19 April in Dubrovnik, Croatia. A total of 520 scientists from all over the world presented their research findings in the field of neuromotor control in presentations, panel discussions and poster sessions. This year, the Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise Department of the University of Münster was represented by Lena Kopnarski. She presented her research in one of the poster sessions entitled "The influence of object weight on handover actions in young and old adults".
 

Prof. Michael Brach and Ellen Bentlage from the Movement Science department, as well as Prof. Claudia Voelcker-Rehage and Piesie Asuako Gyimah from the Neuromotor Behaviour and Exercise department attended the self-organised PhysAgeNet event at the Lithuanian Sport University. They contributed in various roles over four days to the workshops and the PhysAgeNet/EGRAPA scientific conference on the topic of “Evidence-based physical activity in old age”. Further information: here and here

Researchers from the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences provided insights into this at the third symposium on individualization hosted by the JICE Institute, which is supported by Bielefeld University and the University of Münster. In this interview, Münster sports scientist Professor Dr Claudia Voelcker-Rehage and Bielefeld economist Dr. Niels Boissonnet explain what makes the institute’s interdisciplinary approach so valuable for their research. They explain how the focus on individualization enables innovations in a wide range of areas—from optimizing performance in sport to ethical questions of resource distribution. Read the full interview.

Handover actions refer to the transfer of an object from one person to another. In a recently published study by our research group, it was shown that people observe the movements of their partners in handover actions. In this task, for example, receivers pay attention to the velocity of the giver in order to obtain information about the handover object. We were able to show that receivers are able to estimate the weight of objects by observing the giver's kinematics. You can find the article in full length here.

Robert Stojan recently presented the 'Parkinson Vibrating Socks' project (funded by InterregVI) to an audience of numerous members of the Parkinson Forum Kreis Steinfurt e.V.. The project is centred on cross-border cooperation between universities, clinics and companies in Germany and the Netherlands. The aim of the project is the scientifically supported development of a vibrotactile cueing system for people with Parkinson's disease who suffer from the symptom of freezing of the gait. The cueing system is intended to improve the mobility and quality of life of affected people. Further information about the project and the opportunity to participate in studies can be found on our homepage.


 

Today (1st March 2024) is the official launch of the EU-funded doctoral network TReND, coordinated by the Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise at the University of Münster. Within this network, 12 doctoral students at 8 participating institutions across Europe will conduct research to transfer fundamental knowledge about motor control and motor learning to clinical applications. The goal is to promote the rehabilitation of neurological diseases. Further information about the network can be found here.