Weber SST 119
Phone:404-385-2744
Research Interests
The brain is a highly complex system and allows us to accomplish many types of complex motor control tasks. The work in our lab is directed at understanding the neural networks involved in accomplishing many types of complex motor tasks in the upper (ex. Making gestures) and lower (ex. Walking) extremities. We use neural recording techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) and imaging (fMRI) to understand what areas drive a complex motor task, and how these areas interact to execute a planned movement. As well, we are focused on how these networks change after neural injury, particularly stroke.
Personnel
- Director: Lewis A. Wheaton, PhD
- Post-doctoral Fellows: J. Chris Mizelle, PhD
- Graduate Students: Nikhilesh Natraj (Ph.D.), Nikta Pirouz (MSPO).
- Undergraduate Student: Jason Earnest
Research Opportunities
We welcome any undergraduate or graduate student, interested in understanding neurorehabilitaiton of upper or lower extremity motor tasks. Please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Wheaton about research opportunities in the lab.
Current Research Projects
We currently have two main research projects of study.
- The first is to investigate how we associate objects and the movements that go along with these objects in the upper extremity. This work focuses on healthy subjects to establish neural patterns, then determine how these patterns change after stroke that results in a condition known as apraxia, a deficit of complex motor control. This uses EEG and MRI in order to capture neural patterns related to such cognitive motor tasks.
- The second project involves neurorehabilitation in lower extremity motor control, and how the brain uses various forms of sensory feedback to improve lower extremity motor control after stroke. Our focus is on stroke survivors with residual weakness in the ankle.
Recent Publications
Original Articles
- Wheaton, L.A., Mizelle, C., Forrester, L., Bai, O., Shibasaki, H. & Macko R.F. How does the brain respond to unimodal and bimodal sensory demand in movement of the lower extremity? Exp Brain Res 2007; 180: 345-354.
- Wheaton L.A., Carpenter, M., Mizelle, J.C. & Forrester, L. Preparatory band specific premotor cortical activity differentiates upper and lower extremity movement. Exp Brain Res; 2008; 184: 121-126.
- Wheaton, L.A., Bohlhalter, S., Nolte, G., Shibasaki, H., Hattori, N., Fridman, E., Vorbach, S., Grafman, J. & Hallett, M. Cortico-cortical networks in patients with ideomotor apraxia as revealed by EEG coherence analysis. Neurosci Lett; 2008: 87-92.
- Wheaton, L.A., Villagra, F., Hanley, D.F., Macko, RF and Forrester L.W. Reliability of TMS motor evoked potentials in quadriceps of subjects with chronic hemiparesis after stroke. J Neurol Sci; 2009; 276: 115-117.
- Hattori, N., Shibasaki, H., Wheaton, L.A., Wu, T., Matsuhashi, M., & Hallett, M. Discrete parieto-frontal connectivity related to grasping objects. J Neurophysiol; 2009; 101: 1267-82.
- Wheaton, L.A., Bohlhalter, S, Fridman, E., Vorbach, S., & Hallett, M. Left parietal cortex activation related to planning, executing, and suppressing praxis hand movements. Clin Neurophysiol; 2009; 120: 980–986.
Review Articles
- Wheaton, L.A., Parietal Representations for Hand-Object Interactions. J. Neurosci 2007; 27: 969-970.
- Wheaton, L.A. and Hallett, M. Ideomotor apraxia: a review. J Neurol Sci 2007; 260: 1-10.
- Buxbaum LJ, Haaland KY, Hallett M, Wheaton L, Heilman KM, Rodriguez A, Gonzales-Rothi L. Treatment of limb apraxia: moving forward to improved action. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2008; 87(2): 149-161.
- Forrester L.W., Wheaton, L.A., Luft A. Exercise-mediated locomotor recovery and lower extremity neuroplasticity after stroke. J Rehabil Res Dev; 45 (2): 205-220.