Research
Under the direction of Dr. Caviness, research in our lab focuses on three main areas related to the neurophysiology of movement and speech perception. Our hope is to gain a better understanding of these disorders, leading to better treatment options.
Electrophysiology of brain bank tissue
This research correlates pathology diagnosis and neuronal abnormalities with neurophysiology changes measured by electrophysiology methods. Movement disorders and cognitive status are the main subjects of this research.
Both participants without a neurodegenerative condition and brain bank donors with a neurodegenerative condition undergo electroencephalography, surface electromyography and accelerometer recording. These neurodegenerative conditions include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and atypical parkinsonian syndromes. Offline analysis allows use of pattern definition, back-averaging, frequency analysis and other techniques. Routine pathology studies are performed on donor tissue. Tissue is also stored for other analyses.
Electrophysiology of the yips in golf
Some golfers report a tendency to lose control of their golf club when putting. This phenomenon has been termed the yips. In the golf community, having the yips was thought to represent anxiety or choking, but new research shows that's likely not the case.
In our research, surface electromyography electrodes and movement sensors monitor the yips during putting on the golf course. Offline analysis allows researchers to differentiate between various physiological patterns. Some research evidence points to a coordination disorder or neurological disorder, possibly related to dystonia, as a cause of the yips.
Electroencephalography correlates of speech perception
The neuronal activation involved in speech perception isn't known. We're using high-density electroencephalography to study neuronal activity changes during various paradigms of speech perception. Brain mapping of this activity allows postulation of speech perception neuronal circuit processing.
Research collaborators
To help advance scientific discoveries about movement disorders, we collaborate with other researchers who also study movement neurophysiology.
Our current Mayo Clinic collaborators include: