Neuroplasticity and Imaging Laboratory

The research at the NAIL aims to investigate brain-behavior relationships during motor skill learning and motor control in both non-disabled and brain-injured individuals using TMS. The research program encompasses three major themes. The first theme aims to characterize and measure the changes in cortical excitability in response to injury (stroke/ Parkinson’s disease), training and rehabilitation. By applying single pulses, or paired pulses to the motor cortex, we can measure the excitability using motor evoked potentials recorded from the muscle. The second theme uses single pulse TMS and/or repetitive TMS to modulate the cortical function and study the effects of this modulation on motor behavior (control and learning).  The key objective of these experiments is to reveal the specific role of brain areas in motor control and learning in non-disabled individuals and individuals with brain injury. The last theme entails exploring the possibility of using TMS as an adjunct therapeutic tool to enhance the effectiveness of training and rehabilitation. This is a relatively new and emerging research area that aims to investigate the efficacy of TMS to enhance activity-dependent neuroplasticity that implements recovery.

USC 4th Annual TMS Course - August 2 - August 6, 2009

Lab members/ Alumni

• Shailesh Kantak MS. PT
• Erica Pitch, MPT
• Caroline Tan, MS PT
• Janice Lin, PhD, PT

Selected Publications:

• Asymmetric corticomotor excitability correlations in early Parkinson’s disease
  Allan D. Wu, Giselle M. Petzinger, Janice C. Lin, Myron Kung, Beth Fisher
• The Effect  of Exercise Training in Improving Motor Performance and Cortico-Motor Excitability in Individuals with Early Parkinson’s Disease
• Beth E. Fisher PhD, Allan D Wu MD, George Salem PhD, Jooeun Song MS, Janice Lin MS, Michael Jakowec PhD, Jeanine Yip DPT, James Gordon EdD, Giselle Petzinger MD

Equipment and Facilities

• Magnetic stimulation system  
• Magstim 2002
• Bistim2
• Magstim Rapid2
• 2nd Generation' Remote Coils
• Custom Coils
• Double 70mm Cooled Coil System http://www.magstim.com
  Whitland, South West Wales, UK
• Brain navigation system
• Brainsight™ Frameless system http://www.rogue-research.com/
  Montreal Quebec, Canada
• EMG recording system
• P511 Series High Performance AC Preamplifiers http://www.grasstechnologies.com/West Warwick, RI, USA

Location:

• Within neurological faculty suite
• Supportive dental chair
• DataWizard (a MATLAB based EMG data processing software written by Dr.   Allan Wu)
• High-speed computer network