-
Clinical translational research on human gait and balance
Dr. Ali and her team work to advance biological understanding of gait and balance disorders related to aging and neurological disease and develop novel treatments.
-
Developing novel personalized therapies to improve gait and balance function
The lab uses several novel technologies such as force plates, a pressure walkway, camera systems and wearable devices to evaluate human movement patterns and behaviors and how they improve with treatments.
-
Using digital gait analysis technologies to quantify human movement patterns
The lab analyzes human movement patterns under different behavioral conditions to evaluate changes that occur in aging and with neurological disease. The lab ensures safety during all studies using various tools in the lab.
-
Digital gait analysis
The lab uses various methods to quantify human movement patterns.
Overview
The Neuromotor Behavior and Locomotion Laboratory led by Farwa Ali, M.B.B.S., works to advance biological understanding of gait and balance disorders related to aging and neurological disease and develop novel treatments.
Dr. Ali's lab focuses on clinical translational research in these areas:
- Changes in human motor behavior with aging and neurodegeneration.
- How cognitive decline affects gait and balance.
- Predicting falls.
- Advancing knowledge of brain mechanisms of gait and balance abnormalities in aging and neurological diseases using mobile electroencephalography (EEG) and advanced neuroimaging.
- Digital technologies for gait analysis, including remote wearables and lab-based devices.
- Eye tracking to assess the role of visual attention in human cognitive and motor behavior.
- Using artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze human gait.
- Neuromodulation to treat gait and balance disorders.
Gait and balance abnormalities, which are closely intertwined with cognitive decline, are common in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. These abnormalities result in falls that significantly affect functional independence.
The Neuromotor Behavior and Locomotion Lab is working to expand on limited treatment options by precisely measuring these gait and balance abnormalities and by seeking to understand the underlying mechanisms. The lab uses:
- Digital gait analysis technologies. The lab quantifies human movement patterns using technologies such as markerless 3D motion capture, a pressure walkway, force plates and wearable devices.
- Advanced neuroimaging, biofluid biomarkers and EEG-measured brain activity. The lab uses this information to investigate underlying brain mechanisms that explain gait and balance abnormalities across aging and neurodegenerative disease.
- Novel eye-tracking technology. This technology assesses visual attention and navigation behavior while walking.