Research in the NIMBL uses a combination of behavioural, neuroimaging, and brain stimulation techniques. Projects span basic and applied neuroscience and are related to three streams:
Understanding mechanisms of non-physical forms of practice
Optimizing schedules and parameters of non-physical practice
Developing effective interventions using non-physical practice for neurorehabilitation
Current Projects:
Guiding the mind’s motion
When we practice motor skills, like throwing a baseball or lifting weights, parts of the brain are working together to control and refine those skills. We can also imagine ourselves moving without actually doing it – this is called motor imagery. When we picture ourselves moving, many of the same parts of our brain are working together. But people imagine movement in many different ways. One thing we do not know is how providing specific instructions might help the brain engage most effectively. This project measures interactions between parts of our brain important for movement during different styles of guided motor imagery. The goal of this study is to learn more about how motor imagery should be delivered towards improving its effectiveness for uses in sports, music, and rehabilitation.
Project team: Alisha Davis, Marlo Spence
Call me maybe? Improving communication between the brain and muscles after stroke
Physical therapy is the ‘gold standard’ for recovery of impairments in hand and arm function after stroke. But, physical therapy is not always possible, desirable, or accessible. One non-physical strategy that can be used to help improve hand and arm function is called motor imagery. Motor imagery involves imagining yourself performing a movement, without actually (physically) performing the movement. One thing we do not really understand is how motor imagery impacts the signals between our brain and our muscles, and whether this leads to more efficient muscle activations. This study will look at the way our brain and muscles talk to each other during motor imagery during aging and after stroke. The overall goal is to help us understand how motor imagery should be used to improve hand and arm function after stroke. Interested in results of this work? What we’ve found out so far can be found here.
Project team: Dr. Justine Magnuson, Marlo Spence, Nickeisha Angel, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Jakobi and the HEAL.
I like to move it move it: Does movement shape the way we experience music?
Music moves us! When we hear music we like, we often want to move. From brain imaging studies, we know that our motor system is activated when listening to music. But what about the opposite effect? Does movement influence how we experience music? This study will look at whether our motor system impacts our emotional experiences to music. Findings from this study may help us understand different approaches to rehabilitation of movement impairments.
Project team: Sofia Knopf, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Anja Cui (U Vienna).
Imagined expectations vs. reality
We can practice a skill physically, or through our imagination by mentally rehearsing the skill. When we rehearse a skill in our minds, we are missing something important for learning – information about whether our attempt was a success. For example, if we physically putt a golf ball towards the hole, we get to see where the ball ended up – called ‘feedback’. But if we mentally rehearse putting a golf ball to the hole, we don’t get this same feedback. One thing we don’t really know about imagined practice, is whether this feedback is important for learning. This study will look at whether we can use virtual reality to provide feedback during imagined practice, to help learning. Findings from this study will help us understand and improve the effectiveness of imagined practice.
Project team: Celine Balay, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Pourang Irani and the HCI lab, and Dr. Cornelia Frank (U Bremen).
Go with the flow
Practicing a skill can take place in several forms. One form of practice is when we imagine performing a skill by picturing it in our minds without actually moving. This is called motor imagery. We know that one ‘stream’ in the brain that is important for processing visual information is also important for motor imagery. One thing we do not yet know is how information flows through this stream during motor imagery. For example, we do not know if this stream is important to first form the picture in our mind. The goal of this study is to determine how information within this stream flows during motor imagery, to help us understand how motor imagery works. Interested in results of this work? What we’ve found out so far can be found here.
Project team: Alisha Davis, Jasmine Chen, Marie Brauer, Dr. Matthew Scott
What we imagine learning when we watch others
Observing someone else perform a task is one of many ways to help ourselves learn a skill. However, when we observe someone else perform a task, our confidence in performing the task ourselves is often much higher than our actual skill level. When observing someone else perform a task, we can also imagine ourselves doing it at the same time. When we mentally rehearse the skill ourselves (termed ‘motor imagery’) we are gaining additional movement-related information leading to a ‘better’ match between our confidence and skill level. But what if we are unable to picture something (visually) in our minds? This is known as aphantasia. The goal of this study is to look at how our perceptions of abilities change while watching and/or imagining perform a novel task. Interested in results of this work? What we’ve found out so far can be found here.
Project team: this work is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Hodges & the Motor Skills Lab, UBC.
Gamifying neurorehabilitation: can we predict who will benefit?
Stroke often leads to impairments in hand and arm function. Gamified rehabilitation is one way to provide individuals with stroke additional opportunities to improve hand and arm function. However, while many benefit from these interventions, others do not. The goal of this study is to find out why, by mapping brain function and structure before and after practice to determine who benefits. Interested in results of this work? What we’ve found out so far can be found here.
Project team: this work is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Boyd & the Brain Behavior Lab, UBC.
Personalizing non-invasive brain stimulation as an adjunct intervention after stroke
Many individuals after stroke experience movement impairments in their hands/arms. Adjunct therapies are important to test and develop, so that individuals can maximize their recovery. One adjunct therapy uses non-invasive brain stimulation, which can safely and temporarily inhibit brain function in one part of the brain that controls movement. When this is paired with skilled movement practice, function in the stroke affected hand/arm improves. However, not all individuals after stroke respond to this intervention, and we do not yet know why. The overall goal of this study is to investigate factors that may be hindering the effectiveness of this intervention for some individuals. In-turn this study will help us understand how we can tailor this intervention to each individual, to improve its effectiveness.
Project team: this work is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Boyd & the Brain Behavior Lab, UBC.
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