Whether holding the arm still or standing, the brain uses a silent proprioceptive sense that unconsciously detects and controls our movements. Key sensory receptors for this sense are located within the muscles that are also contracting. This is a project to discover how proprioception is affected by muscle contraction and how this affects postural control. This will improve the management of many common disorders that affect movement and balance.
The final and most effective means that we have to stop a fall is the stepping reflex, which is an automatic response when the body topples. For many elderly and others, this reflex does not work effectively and leads to falls and injuries. Although we know a lot about human balance and standing, we know little about this stepping reflex. This project investigates the basic physiology of the stepping reflex and how it is affected by age with the aim of preventing falls and injuries.
I am a cardiorespiratory neuroscientist. My work aims to discover what determines central respiratory and sympathetic activity and how this controls breathing and the circulation in health and disease