Combined Sections Meeting 2007
February 14-18, 2007
Boston, MA

Developmental Neuroplasticity: Translating the Science to Clinical Practice

Wednesday, February 14, 2007
8:00am - 5:00pm
0.75 CEUs

This course will focus on neuroplasticity as it relates to early intervention. Basic and applied human and animal research will be translated to various clinical environments in which pediatric therapists practice. Linkages between brain and performance will be explored, both in terms of the brain’s influence on learning, as well as the effect of sensorimotor experience on the layout and function of the brain and spinal cord.

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Upon completion of this course, you’ll be able to:

1. Discuss updated information on neuroplasticity research as it relates to early development.
2. Understand the effect of early movement and sensory experiences on the development of the nervous system.
3. Discuss mechanisms of motor learning in infancy.

Distinguished Speakers:

• James C. (Cole) Galloway, PT, PhD is an associate professor in the Physical Therapy Department at the University of Delaware. His research focuses on the neuromotor control of behaviors in early infancy. He is especially interested in the complex process by which infants adapt and modify spontaneous limb movements such as flapping and kicking for behaviors such as reaching. Using a systems view, he is interested in how biomechanics, nervous system and the physical and social environment interact to produce developmental changes in motor behaviors. Current projects address changes in arm movements leading to the onset of reaching, motor learning assessments in early infancy, and early interventions for infants born at risk for long term coordination impairments. The goals of his research are to produce a detailed, comprehensive, ecologically valid understanding of early infant limb behaviors, and advance the intervention options available for clinicians working with young infants.
• Anna Klintsova, PhD is an assistant professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Delaware. Her research interest is the evaluation of plasticity of the healthy vs. damaged nervous system on behavior. Her work focuses on the neural changes (frontal lobe, motor cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum) and behavioral effects of early, intensive motor intervention in animal model of fetal alcohol syndrome. One major question is to determine whether behavioral intervention can ameliorate alcohol-related damage on both behavioral and structural levels. To improve motor performance and increase brain plasticity in alcohol-exposed animals, she uses conditions (motor task learning, physical exercise) known to facilitate brain synaptogenesis, neuro- and cell genesis. She tests for plasticity changes at the behavioral (motor abilities and memory), cellular (example, light microscopy, and neuronal tract-tracing) and sub-cellular (electron microscopy) levels.
• John Martin, PhD is a professor at Columbia University in New York at the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior. His research focuses on the postnatal development of the motor pathways and motor behavior as well as the mechanisms of motor recovery after brain and spinal cord injury.  One question is how early postnatal behavioral experiences shape development of the anatomical and functional organization of motor circuits? His experiments concentrate on the corticospinal tract and the skilled motor behaviors that this tract controls. His lab studies how this tract develops normally and, when development goes awry, how to repair the damage and restore normal motor functions. Another question is how to promote recovery of motor control after brain injury in maturity? To answer this question, he applies principles learned from the study of motor system development. These studies examine ways to improve the functions of the injured corticospinal tract, which is often damaged after stroke or spinal cord trauma. Goals of his research are to devise new therapeutic strategies for promoting normal motor function in cerebral palsy and after spinal cord injury.

Register Online for this course
Download Course Schedule & Bibliography