Expertise
In particular, he became interested in the influence of monoamines on the activity of spinal reflex circuits and spinal locomotor networks.
He presently pursues research on the effects of electrical deep brain stimulation of descending locomotor pathways on recovery of walking following incomplete spinal cord injury.
Research Interests: Brain and Spinal Mechanisms Controlling Walking
My research interests have focused on understanding the brain and spinal control of walking. We have: a) characterized monoaminergic control of spinal reflex transmission from group II muscle afferents important for locomotor function; b) identified locomotor-activated neurons in the spinal cord controlling hindlimb locomotion; c) identified key components of the descending pathway for the initiation of locomotion; d) demonstrated that locomotor-activated neurons in the spinal cord are innerved by terminals of descending noradrenergic and serotonergic neuromodulatory pathways and are immunoreactive for monoaminergic receptors implicated in the control of locomotion; and e) demonstrated that monoaminergic neuromodulatory control of spinal function is mediated in part by extrasynaptic or volume neurotransmission.
The long-term goal of my research is to develop and optimize treatments for spinal cord injury based on neurotransmitter enhancement strategies.
As an alternative strategy, we are exploring the use of deep brain stimulation to enhance transmitter release from surviving pathways innervating deeper target (locomotor) areas of the spinal cord following incomplete spinal cord injury.
Our long-term goal is to develop new therapeutic strategies for enhancing spinal function based on the delivery of neurotransmitters, similarly acting drugs or transplantation of cells secreting these substances. We are investigating the spinal release of monoamines during walking, and the receptors between monoaminergic fibers and locomotor-activated neurons in the spinal cord. We also examine the therapeutic potential of deep brain stimulation in models of spinal injury.