ÃÛÌÒAPP

Add to Calendar: Add to Calendar 2026-01-15 15:00:00 2026-01-15 16:00:00 Neural Prosthesis Seminar Please join us Thursday, Jan. 15, at 3 p.m. ET for a Neural Prosthesis Seminar with guest speaker Jules Dewald, PhD, from Northwestern University. Talk Title: Evidence for an increased reliance on contralesional corticoreticulospinal pathways: maladaptive plasticity following a unilateral brain injury? Abstract: The main goal of this presentation is to discuss possible neural mechanisms underlying the loss of independent joint control or limb synergies and stretch reflex hyperactivity (spasticity) in the paretic arm/hand following a unilateral brain injury. Furthermore, novel treatments using a combination of neurophysiological and engineering techniques to reduce the effects of, especially the flexor synergy, will be discussed. I will present evidence for the loss of independent joint control in the paretic limb of individuals with stroke during isometric multi-degree of freedom load cell measures and during movements in haptic environments. Furthermore, the relationship between the loss of independent joint control and cortical reorganization using high-resolution EEG, combined with peripheral robot-mediated quantitative measures of a loss of independent joint control. The possibility of increased reliance on bulbospinal pathways, especially the reticulospinal pathway, following the loss of brain injury-induced corticospinal projections will be discussed. Additional research I will briefly discuss involves the study of quantitative computer-driven visual and haptic feedback techniques that seek to improve the ability to produce the necessary torque combinations for reaching and retrieval motions with the paretic arm/hand using novel bio-robotic approaches. We are also working on man-machine interfaces and on pharmacological interventions that aim to alter brain, spinal, and/or brainstem neuronal excitability. Concurrently, we have been studying the impact of time of injury (pre-, peri- versus post- natal brain injuries) on motor impairments in childhood hemiparesis. Up-regulation of reticulospinal motor pathways resulting in an increased neuromodulation of spinal motor neurons is believed to be the source of altered spinal reflex activity (spasticity), and the loss of independent joint control may very well be an important cause for movement discoordination observed in stroke and postnatal childhood hemiparesis. The Neural Prosthesis Seminar is an excellent opportunity for discussion and networking. A livestream option is available and open to all.  On-Campus Weatherhead School of Management Weatherhead School of Management UTC public